The Toronto Blue Jays have lost another pitcher to injury. Right-hander Yariel Rodríguez was placed on the 15-day injured list with thoracic spine inflammation, the team announced Tuesday. Reliever Zach Pop was called up in a corresponding move. The Blue Jays will carry nine relievers and four starters for the time being.
Rodríguez, 27, joined Toronto as an international free agent over the winter and he owns a 4.11 ERA through four starts. The Blue Jays now have three starters on the major league injured list, plus top prospect Ricky Tiedemann is on the Triple-A injured list. Here is their rotation depth chart at the moment:
- RHP Kevin Gausman
- RHP José Berríos
- RHP Chris Bassitt
- LHP Yusei Kikuchi
RHP Yariel Rodríguez(out with back injury)RHP Bowden Francis(out with forearm tendinitis)RHP Alek Manoah(out with shoulder inflammation)LHP Ricky Tiedemann(out with nerve inflammation)- RHP Paolo Espino
The Blue Jays have off-days coming up this Thursday, next Monday, and next Thursday. Rodríguez started Monday night and, thanks to all those off-days, the Blue Jays will not need their fifth starter again until Tuesday, May 14. They have some time to sort through their fifth starter options with Rodríguez sidelined. This is not an especially urgent matter.
Manoah has made four minor league rehab starts and they haven't gone especially well (19 runs in 13 2/3 innings). He will make a Triple-A start Tuesday night. If needed, Manoah does line up well to step into Rodríguez's rotation spot. The performance leaves a lot to be desired though, and reports indicate his stuff has been up and down.
The rotation was the Blue Jays' strength last year, but one month into the 2024 season, the group ranks 18th with a 4.02 ERA. Gausman and Bassitt have started slow, though Gausman has gotten better as he gets further away from a spring training shoulder issue. Still, Rodríguez's injury means Toronto is pushing the limits of its depth.
The Blue Jays enter play Tuesday with a 15-15 record and a minus-23 run differential. They have won their last two games after dropping their previous five.
