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Blue Jays: Who gets sent down when Addison Barger returns?
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Photo credit: © Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images
Ben Wrixon
May 6, 2026, 09:15 EDTUpdated: May 6, 2026, 09:13 EDT
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Addison Barger is on the cusp of returning from the injured list. Whether he gets activated on Wednesday or on Friday remains to be seen, but the Toronto Blue Jays’ struggling lineup is about to get a much-needed influx of power. 
Barger wasn’t himself before going down with sprains in both ankles. Still, he was highly productive during the 2025 regular season and raked in the playoffs—there’s no doubting his importance to this team. He’s going to play immediately upon his arrival, meaning someone will be the odd man out. 
While Barger split time between third base and right field last year, he’s likely going to be a full-time outfielder now that Kazuma Okamoto has proven he can handle the hot corner. He might also get some appearances as the designated hitter early on whenever the Jays want to give George Springer a break. 
So, whoever gets sent down for Barger will likely be an outfielder. The two main candidates are Yohendrick Piñango and Davis Schneider, given that they both have minor league options. Lenyn Sosa is also a potential option, but the club would have to DFA him because he’s out of minor league options. 
Piñango has impressed since making his MLB debut. He picked up three hits in Monday’s 5-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays while batting in the leadoff spot for the second straight game. He’s shown good bat-to-ball skills and an advanced approach at the plate. He picked up one more against the Rays yesterday. 
Schneider, meanwhile, finally snapped his 0-fer with a two-run double in Saturday’s win over the Twins. He’s now slashing .137/.323/.255 in what has been a challenging start to the season. He’s taking his walks but has generally been too passive for his own good at the plate. 
When the Blue Jays first promoted Piñango, they likely did so assuming they’d send him down when Barger returned. Yet he’s been red-hot for a team starved for offence—demoting the hot hand could wind up being the wrong move.
Schneider is a beloved member of this team. He was up and down in 2025, and he is still providing some much-needed plate discipline. He’s better than his numbers have shown, but there’s no doubt who has been more productive lately. Unfortunately, given how the Blue Jays have started, they don’t have the luxury of waiting for someone to get back on track. 
Handedness could work in Schneider’s favour. Barger and Piñango are both left-handed bats, which creates further overlap between them. Schneider, conversely, gives the Blue Jays a right-handed bat to slot in against southpaw pitchers. But with that said, Piñango hasn’t shown that he can’t handle lefties—he might be more productive against them than Schneider right now. The results matter more than the matchups on paper. 
Whoever the Blue Jays choose, whether it’s Piñango or Schneider (or the outside shot of it being Sosa), likely won’t have played their final game in Toronto this season. Whether it’s an injury or simply some bench reshuffling, they’ll get called upon again at some point this summer.

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