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Josh Winckowski appears in first rehab game with Single-A Dunedin
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Photo credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
Michael Coyle
Aug 26, 2026, 07:00 EDTUpdated: Aug 25, 2026, 20:03 EDT
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While most of the Toronto Blue Jays’ injury news has been negative as of late, an arm they signed this off-season has begun a long-awaited rehab assignment. 
Josh Winckowski, whom the Blue Jays signed to a two-year, minor-league deal, pitched in his first game since joining the organization, starting on Tuesday night for Single-A Dunedin. 
Winckowski suffered a right elbow flexor strain in May 2025 while pitching with the Boston Red Sox Triple-A affiliate, the Worcester Red Sox. The injury eventually led to Winckowski requiring an internal brace procedure, which left the right-hander sidelined until Tuesday. 
In his first outing since April 23, 2025, Winckowski turned in a pitching line of 1.2 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, throwing 30 pitches (18 strikes). Winckowski topped out at 93.9 MPH and sat in the low 90s with his sinker. 
The start got off on the wrong foot as Winckowski’s first pitch of the game was taken yard by Palm Beach Cardinals lead-off man Travis Honeyman. 
From there Winckowski settled in, getting Ryan Mitchell to ground out to first base on a 93.2 MPH sinker before striking out Alexander Frias with an 84.7 MPH slider. After a two-out walk to Dee Kennedy, Winckowski required only one pitch to get Owen Henne to ground into a force out to end the frame. 
Sent back out to begin the top of the second inning, Winckowski allowed a leadoff single to Sebastian Dos Santos before getting Miguel Hernández to ground into a 5-4-3 double play on an 83.6 MPH slider. With two out, Winckowski hit Gabe Camacho with a cutter before being lifted in favour of Jack Nedrow, who stranded the runner with a strikeout. 
Originally selected by the Blue Jays in the 15th round of the 2016 draft, Winckowski was traded to the New York Mets alongside Sean Reid-Foley and Yennsy Diaz in exchange for left-hander Steven Matz in January 2021. 
Just under a month later, Winckowski was once again moved, this time to the Red Sox where the now 28-year-old found a home. Over parts of four seasons with the Red Sox, spanning 2022 to 2025, Winckowski pitched in 121 games (21 starts) and went 13-14 with a 4.20 ERA and a 1.46 WHIP. 
With an overworked Blue Jays bullpen, Winckowski has the opportunity to return to the majors this season if he can build up his arm enough before September comes to a close. 
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