Blue Jays place bullpen stalwart Yimi Garcia on injured list with shoulder impingement
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The Blue Jays bullpen, for much of the season a strength for the team, was dealt a potentially significant blow in Tampa on Saturday.
The team announced that Yimi Garcia, a hard-throwing, late-inning specialist for the Jays, has been placed on the 15-day injured list with a right-shoulder impingement.
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Manager John Schneider told reporters at Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, where the Jays were scheduled to face the Rays in the second game of a weekend series on Saturday night, that the issue had been building over a number of weeks.
Garcia has had an excellent season to date, pitching to a 3.15 ERA over 20 innings. He has two saves in the 21 appearances thus far, striking out 24.
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If the injury is for any length time — or has lingering effects — it could be a devastating development for the Jays pitching staff, which already has been short-handed on the starter side, operating on a four-man rotation. That shortage in manpower has put added strain on the bullpen, among the most-worked units in the majors.
Garcia saw two lengthy bullpen stints in 2024, both with elbow issues. The first was with the Jays and the second after he was dealt to the Seattle Mariners at the MLB trade deadline.
The loss of Garcia, for however long it will be, plus the recent struggles of closer Jeff Hoffman, creates some uncertainty at the back end of the Jays bullpen. Hoffman has struggled to a 16.71 ERA in his nine appearances in May, allowing four home runs this month.
Right hander Paxton Schultz was recalled from triple A Buffalo on Saturday and was active for the game against the Rays.
The Jays, who are in the middle of a 13-games-in-13-days stretch, are hoping to get an influx of healthy bullpen arms soon with both Erik Swanson and Nick Sandlin working on minor league rehab assignments.
Meanwhile, outfielder Anthony Santander, who has battled hip and shoulder injuries for much of the month, was back in the lineup and playing right field for Saturday’s middle contest of the three-game weekend series against the Rays.
The Blue Jays lost Friday’s series opener 3-1.
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