logo
The Toronto Blue Jays need Yimi García back from the injured list
alt
Photo credit: Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images
Ben Wrixon
May 21, 2026, 16:00 EDTUpdated: May 21, 2026, 14:03 EDT
Comments
The injury bug that has bitten the Toronto Blue Jays all season long has turned its attention to the bullpen. 
Tommy Nance and Joe Mantiply both recently landed on the injured list with forearm discomfort and knee inflammation, respectively. Both were solid contributors up until this point, providing some much-needed stability in the middle innings. 
The team’s back-end quartet of Braydon Fisher, Mason Fluharty, Tyler Rogers, and Louis Varland remains strong, but getting them to them with the lead intact has become increasingly difficult. It would be much easier with a healthy Yimi García.
García, who has been sidelined since undergoing elbow surgery last year, has progressed to throwing bullpens. He’s likely still a few weeks away from returning—and boy would the Blue Jays love to have him back right about now. 
The right-hander struck out 25 batters in the 21 innings he pitched last season. He had a 2.70 ERA in 29 appearances with the Blue Jays in 2024 before they traded him to the Seattle Mariners, where he was derailed by injuries in the second half. 
Performance has never been an issue for García when healthy. In a perfect world, he would become the team’s fireman when he returns now that Varland—formerly in this role—is firmly entrenched as the closer. He has the strikeout stuff needed to clean up a high-leverage mess, regardless of whether it’s in the sixth, seventh, or eighth inning. 
The Blue Jays simply don’t have a guy capable of doing that right now. Jeff Hoffman is far too inconsistent, and Fisher tends to perform better when given a clean inning. Fluharty, meanwhile, is better used primarily against left-handed batters. 
Further exacerbating the issue is that the Blue Jays are running a bullpen game every fifth day, with Eric Lauer traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Spencer Miles has become the “bulk” guy, effectively removing him as an option most days. The team sorely needs another impact reliever, with everyone else getting overworked. 
A healthy García checks all the boxes—albeit with the health part being a huge caveat. There’s no reason to think he won’t be the same pitcher when he finally does return, but he’s experienced a ton of physical issues over the last few seasons. He might not be the same guy when he comes back, which would put the Blue Jays in a serious predicament. 
Alejandro Kirk is unquestionably the injured player the Blue Jays miss the most, yet the weight of García’s absence is getting heavier. This team desperately needs him back. 

CHECK OUT OFF THE ROSTER – NEW EPISODES EVERY WEEKDAY

Off The Roster is Toronto sports. Hosted by Cabbie Richards, Lindsay Dunn, and Dan Riccio, this is the go-to morning conversation for everything happening in the 6ix – Hockey, Baseball, Basketball and everything in between. From breakout performances and questionable trades to throwback jerseys, viral moments, and the stories fans are actually talking about—it’s smart, sharp, and never scripted. Live weekday mornings on the Nation Network YouTube channel and available wherever you stream podcasts, the show delivers real opinions, real chemistry, and real Toronto energy. Missed an episode? Catch up anytime. Off The Roster—The new sound of the 6ix.
Editorials

Breaking News