TORONTO — The off-season is an important rehabilitation period for various injured Blue Jays, and the early returns are promising for the likes of Bo Bichette, Alek Manoah and Will Wagner, according to general manager Ross Atkins.
Daulton Varsho’s also progressing well, but remains questionable for opening day, according to Atkins, who spoke with the Toronto chapter of the Baseball Writers Association of America Tuesday. All things considered, though, these previously injured players have moved in the right direction since the regular season ended.
“All very positive,” Atkins said. “No one’s behind schedule by any means. Really good mindset and nothing but good news there.”
Varsho had rotator cuff surgery on his right shoulder in September, and recovering from that operation will likely delay his progression in spring training, impacting his availability early in 2025.
“I don’t want to limit him,” Atkins said. “(But) based on history that that feels (like opening day) could be unrealistic.”
If Varsho does miss the start of the season, Joey Loperfido, Nathan Lukes and Jonatan Clase would be candidates to handle centre field on an interim basis. While the Blue Jays are interested in free agent outfielders led by Juan Soto, most of their potential targets are corner bats meaning any centre field depth is likely to come internally.
Wagner (left knee) and Bichette (right middle finger fracture) also had surgery down the stretch of the 2024 season, but both are said to be recovering well.
That leaves Manoah, who underwent internal brace surgery to repair a torn ligament in his pitching elbow last June. The right-hander recently posted an Instagram video that shows him throwing on flat ground, a sign of early progress in a process that can be expected to take at least a full year.
“He felt ‘really good,’ I think was the words he used,” Atkins said. “Which means it’s a good start to his timeline.”
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