Eyes on the Bisons as Blue Jays' Springer, Manoah, Bieber work their way back

Article content

Even with the Blue Jays in the thick of pennant race in mid-August, some of the attention around the American League East leaders these days is being diverted by their triple-A farm team in Buffalo.

The Queen City has suddenly become the place to be outside of the Rogers Centre, with several Jays — George Springer, Shane Bieber and Alek Manoah — all using the Bisons as a springboard to their eventual return to the majors.

Manoah, for example, made his first rehab start in Buffalo on Wednesday for the Bisons, though it didn’t go well for the one-time ace of the Jays pitching staff and Cy Young Award finalist.

The right-hander recorded just five outs, yielding three runs on two hits, while issuing three walks, hitting a batter and recording one strikeout in a 9-4 loss to the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.

Heading into the outing, the goal was to have Manoah throw anywhere from 70 to 75 pitches. Instead, he managed just 49 pitches, with only 27 going for strikes.

Manoah underwent UCL reconstruction on hios right elbow last season after a five-game return to the bigs.

His 30-day rehab clock began with a start in class-A on July 22.

Springer, meanwhile, was finally cleared on Wednesday by Major League Baseball to return to play after taking a pitch to the head on July 28. The plan is for the veteran outfielder to pack his bags and head to Buffalo.

Springer might get a chance to DH on Thursday for the Bisons and, all being well, should be back in the Blue Jays lineup within a few days.

The former World Series MVP was in the midst of a renaissance season when he took a fastball off the side of his face in Baltimore by rookie Kade Strowd in the ninth inning. Camden Yards at Oriole Park was left in stunned silence.

Thankfully, Springer did slightly turn his head after Strowd threw his 96-mph fastball, which is why the ball hit Springer’s left ear flap. In other words, it could have been worse.

Per baseball’s concussion protocols, Springer had to check off many boxes before receiving the green light and was placed on the seven-day disabled list in the wake of his concussion diagnosis.

What followed involved mandatory baseline testing and a specific return-to-play process aimed to prevent a premature return to play and ensure players are fully recovered before resuming activities.

Being cleared by MLB is the first step.

Mind you, it was odd that Springer was even in the game with the Orioles comfortably ahead 11-4.

The hope is that the worse is indeed over for Springer, whose veteran presence and overall ability have been missed.

Even without him, the Jays have managed to post wins, but the team is infinitely better positioned with a healthy Springer in the lineup.

On Friday, Bieber is scheduled to make his third rehab start for the organization after the Jays acquired the former Cy Young Award winner from Cleveland at the trade deadline.

In his previous two outings, covering 10.2 innings, the right-hander has pitched to a 3.38 ERA but has 12 strikeouts and just two walks.

And if that all wasn’t enough going on in Buffalo, on Thursday, top prospect Trey Yesavage will make his triple-A debut after the right-hander was promoted from double-A earlier in the week.

While rocketing up through three levels of the minors this season, Yesavage has a 3.01 ERA to go with a 5-1 record.

In 80 innings to date, he has a whopping 134 strikeouts.