What’s the best case scenario for the Blue Jays if Daulton Varsho is out long-term?

This past weekend, the Toronto Blue Jays placed outfielder Daulton Varsho on the injured list with a hamstring injury that he suffered on Saturday against the Athletics. With Varsho on the sidelines, it leaves a huge hole for the Blue Jays to fill. The 2024 Gold Glove award winner has been a contributor on both sides of the gall, averaging close to an RBI per game while belting eight home runs in 24 games of action.

Varsho was placed on the 10-day IL, but hamstring injuries are never straightforward, and he could potentially be out more than the 10-day minimum. So what would be the best case scenario for the Blue Jays if the 28-year-old outfielder is out longer than expected?

What’s the best case scenario for the Blue Jays if Daulton Varsho is out long-term?

Unlike prior seasons, one of the key things that the Blue Jays have working for them this year is their surplus of productive outfielders. Whether it be proven veterans or aspiring prospects, Toronto can find plenty of options internally to step up and help fill the void effectively.

In terms of veterans, the Toronto has both Myles Straw and Nathan Lukes as suitable replacements. There’s no question about Straw and his defensive acumen, as he previously captured Gold Glove honours back in 2022 with the Cleveland Guardians. He's been no slouch at the plate this season for the Blue Jays as well, batting a solid .289 with 15 runs scored, five doubles, one home run, 10 RBIs and four stolen bases in just 97 at-bats.

As for Lukes, he has maintained a respectable .986 fielding percentage along with eight Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) over 81 games in his tenure with Toronto so far. With respect to offense, the 30-year-old outfielder has compiled a .276 average, .788 OPS, with 19 runs scored, four home runs and 20 RBIs while demonstrating great plate discipline with close to a 1:1 walk-to-strikeout ratio over 43 games played.

The Blue Jays also have some younger guys on the roster, including Alan Roden. Roden struggled in his first go-around earlier this season with the Blue Jays, buut he rediscovered his stroke since he was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo, posting a stellar .361 average, 1.029 OPS, along with 14 runs scored, three home runs and 12 RBIs in just 18 games.

Meantime, Addison Barger, he has been red hot of late, having hit home runs in three consecutive games and compiling a strong .375 average and .833 OPS during the past week. Barger may be primarily playing at third base for the time being, but given his experience playing the outfield as well, he could be an option.

With the eventual return of Andrés Giménez in the near future, Ernie Clement, who has taken the majority of the reps at second while Giménez was hurt, would go back to third base, making the Barger move to the outfield even more likely.

On top of that, Davis Schneider is now back up with the Blue Jays as well. He struggled big time offensively for much of the first couple of weeks of the season, and was promptly sent down to the minors to get his game back in order and was getting hot with Buffalo just before getting the call up. In his first game back with Toronto, he went 1-for-4 with a walk and a run scored in the 8-4 win over the Athletics on Sunday.

Unless all of these viable options fail to produce simultaneously, the Blue Jays shouldn’t need to worry about external sources to replace Varsho during his absence. If Toronto wants defense first, then they should turn to Straw or Lukes. If offense is the main focus, then Roden, Barger and potentially Schneider should get the call. This should allow the Blue Jays to be extra cautios with Varsho’s recovery for however long he may be out.