Blue Jays' Addison Barger: Resumes baseball activity
Rotowire
Barger (ankles) resumed baseball activity at the Blue Jays' complex in Florida this week and is expected to begin swinging the bat Friday or Saturday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Barger has played catch the last two days, and returning to hitting and running are the next steps in his recovery from sprained left and right ankles. Barger is expected to resume running Tuesday or Wednesday of next week and will go from there. While eligible to come off the injured list Friday, that doesn't appear to be a realistic target for Barger. Perhaps he'll be back with the Blue Jays for the start of their next homestand against the Guardians on Friday, April 24.
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Blue Jays' Addison Barger: Out of walking boot
Rotowire
Barger (ankles) was no longer wearing a walking boot this weekend, and the Blue Jays remain optimistic he'll only need a minimum stay on the 10-day injured list, per MLB.com.
The right fielder managed to sprain both his ankles, the left more seriously, while attempting to beat out a groundball and landing awkwardly on first base, and his IL stint was backdated to April 6. Barger's had a very slow start to the season at the plate, going 1-for-19 with his only hit being a double, but the Jays could use him back as quickly as possible with George Springer (toe) having suffered his own, more serious injury Saturday. Barger could be eased into the lineup at DH as a result once he's activated.
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Blue Jays' Addison Barger: Shut down through Monday
Rotowire
Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Friday that Barger (ankles) will remain shut down from baseball activities through Monday's off day, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Barger is dealing with soreness in both ankles, though he's experiencing more discomfort in the left ankle. He is eligible to return from the 10-day injured list April 16, but given that he won't resume baseball activities until two days before that date, it's likely Barger will require more down time.
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Blue Jays' Addison Barger: May only miss minimum
Rotowire
Barger (ankle) might only miss the minimum 10 days on the injured list, MLB.com reports.
The 26-year-old sprained his left ankle after landing on first base awkwardly Sunday while attempting to beat out a grounder, and he was placed on the IL on Tuesday, retroactive to April 6. Barger has been off to a slow start at the plate, batting .053 (1-for-19) through eight games, so the time off could allow him to reset.
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Blue Jays' Addison Barger: Not in Tuesday's lineup
Rotowire
Barger (ankle) is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Dodgers.
Barger will sit Tuesday for a second straight game after exiting Sunday's matchup with the White Sox due to bilateral ankle discomfort. Manager John Schneider said Monday that the 26-year-old was "trending in the right direction" but couldn't rule out the possibility of a stint on the injured list. Nathan Lukes is starting in right field Tuesday for Toronto.
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Blue Jays' Addison Barger: Injury downplayed by manager
Rotowire
Manager John Schneider said Sunday he hopes Barger (ankles) is out for "just a day or two, or maybe not even a day," Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.
He departed Sunday's game with bilateral ankle discomfort, with Schneider confirming Barger hurt both ankles on a play at first base early in Sunday's game. Schneider's comments suggest there's a chance Barger will return early this week. He should be considered day-to-day in the meantime.
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Blue Jays' Addison Barger: Departs with ankle issues
Rotowire
Barger was removed from Sunday's game against the White Sox due to bilateral ankle discomfort, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports.
Barger went 0-for-3 before being replaced by Jesus Sanchez in right field for the bottom of the sixth inning. The severity of the injury is unclear, so Barger should be considered day-to-day until more information is available.
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Blue Jays' Addison Barger: Taking seat again Wednesday
Rotowire
Barger is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rockies.
After sitting against right-handed starter Ryan Feltner on Tuesday, the left-handed-hitting Barger will remain on the bench for the series finale while southpaw Kyle Freeland takes the hill for Colorado. Jesus Sanchez will spell Barger in right field and will bat seventh.
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Blue Jays' Addison Barger: Idle vs. southpaw
Rotowire
Barger is not in the Blue Jays' starting lineup against the Athletics on Saturday.
With left-hander Jeffrey Springs taking the mound for the Athletics on Saturday, Barger will open the contest in the dugout while the Blue Jays go with Davis Schneider, Daulton Varsho and Myles Straw in the outfield from left to right. Barger went 0-for-4 with a strikeout on Opening Day on Friday.
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Blue Jays' Addison Barger: Makes history in Game 1 win
Rotowire
Barger went 2-for-2 with a grand slam during Toronto's 11-4 victory in Game 1 of the World Series against the Dodgers on Friday.
Having already scored three runs in the sixth inning, Toronto was on the verge of taking full control of Friday's contest when Barger entered the game to hit for Davis Schneider. With the bases loaded, Barger slugged a 413-foot home run into center field off lefty Anthony Banda, marking the first pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history. The 25-year-old Barger has gone deep in two of his last three playoff games and is slashing .324/.405/.622 through 42 plate appearances in the postseason.
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Blue Jays' Addison Barger: Idle for Game 2
Rotowire
Barger is out of the lineup Sunday for Game 2 of the ALDS against the Yankees.
The left-handed-hitting Barger will dodge a matchup with southpaw Max Fried in Game 2. Ernie Clement will slide to third base while Isiah Kiner-Falefa plays second base Sunday.
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Blue Jays' Addison Barger: Out of Toronto lineup
Rotowire
Barger is not in the lineup for Friday's contest versus the Orioles.
The Blue Jays haven't faced many left-handers lately, but the left-handed-hitting Barger has been out of the lineup each of the last three times they've gone up against a southpaw. George Springer will be in right field and Ernie Clement will play third base Friday versus Trevor Rogers and the Orioles.
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Blue Jays' Addison Barger: Out of Tuesday's lineup
Rotowire
Barger is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Reds.
Barger started the previous six games but will take a seat Tuesday after going 4-for-22 with a double, two RBI and eight strikeouts during that span. Nathan Lukes will shift to right field, which opens up left field for Davis Schneider.
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Blue Jays' Addison Barger: Idle Saturday
Rotowire
Barger is not in the Blue Jays' starting lineup against the Dodgers on Saturday.
Barger will begin Saturday's game on the bench, with Myles Straw in right field and Buddy Kennedy drawing the start at third base. Barger has logged two hits in three of his last four games and has gone 9-for-29 (.310) with two home runs and eight RBI in seven games since the beginning of August.
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Blue Jays' Addison Barger: Resting up Wednesday
Rotowire
Barger is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rockies.
With a lefty (Kyle Freeland) on the hill for the Rockies and with the Blue Jays wrapping up their series in Denver with a day game after a night game, Toronto manager John Schneider likely viewed it as an opportune time to give the left-handed-hitting Barger a breather. Barger had started in each of the Blue Jays' last 15 games, slashing .219/.275/.438 with three home runs, 12 RBI and 10 runs during that stretch.
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Blue Jays' Addison Barger: Belts late long shot
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Barger went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer in Friday's 9-3 loss to the Royals.
Barger made Friday's score a little bit more respectable after he smacked a two-run homer to right field off Thomas Hatch in the ninth inning. It was Barger's 16th home run of the season, which is tied with Vladimir Guerrero for second most on the Blue Jays behind George Springer's (concussion) 18. In the 15 games since the All-Star break, Barger has gone 16-for-58 (.276) with four doubles, three home runs and 12 RBI.
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Blue Jays' Addison Barger: Productive in Thursday's rout
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Barger went 1-for-4 with a walk, a triple, two runs scored and two RBI in Thursday's win over the Tigers.
His seventh-inning blast into the right-center field gap off left-hander Dietrich Enns was the first triple of Barger's career. The 25-year-old has been locked in since the All-Star break, hitting safety in six of seven games while batting .385 (10-for-26) with three extra-base hits, five runs and six RBI. Barger still sits against tougher southpaw starting pitchers, but it's getting more and more difficult for manager John Schneider to leave him off the lineup card, even in same-handed matchups.
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Blue Jays' Addison Barger: Getting break Saturday
Rotowire
Barger isn't in the starting lineup Saturday versus the Athletics.
Barger will begin the contest on the bench with the A's sending a lefty starter (Jacob Lopez) to the mound. Barger started each of Toronto's previous four games, going 3-for-17 with a home run and three RBI during that stretch. The 25-year-old has been playing a mix of right field and third base; George Springer and Ernie Clement are starting at those positions, respectively, Saturday.
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Blue Jays' Addison Barger: Keeps raking Monday
Rotowire
Barger went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Monday's win over the White Sox.
The 25-year-old took Sean Burke deep in the sixth inning, one of three Toronto homers off the right-hander on the night. Barger is up to 12 long balls on the season, including four in the last nine games -- a stretch in which he's batting .323 (10-for-31) with two doubles, six runs and 12 RBI.
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Blue Jays' Addison Barger: Taking seat vs. southpaw
Rotowire
Barger is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Angels.
Barger will head to the bench with southpaw Tyler Anderson on the bump for the Halos. Joey Loperfido will fill in as the Blue Jays' right fielder.
