Ken Giles (elbow) played catch Sunday and felt good enough that the Blue Jays will hold off on placing him on the injured list, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports. Notes: Giles returns to IL; Teoscar activated, Blue Jays will open on Saturday, Feb. 27, on the road against the Phillies. Guerrero keeps third base as optionVladimir Guerrero Jr. has made the full-time move to first base with a heavy dose of designated hitter days mixed in, but he’s still taking ground balls at third base to stay fresh. Prior to going down, Bichette was hitting .361 with a 1.063 OPS to go with a steady glove at short. Some nights, the closer will be Anthony Bass. Trent Thornton (right elbow inflammation) will be getting a second opinion from Dr. James Andrews, Montoyo said. 2021 Spring Training schedule announcedThe 2021 Grapefruit League schedule was announced on Wednesday by Major League Baseball. If all signs are good, he could be activated by this weekend, as well. If all signs are good, he could be activated by this weekend, as well. The Blue Jays hadn’t planned to activate the breakout star just yet, but when Fisher went down, the move was made. After weeks of bad news on the injury front, the Blue Jays finally have some reasons for optimism. Starting Guerrero at third with Rowdy Tellez at first base could make some sense if there was an impact bat Toronto needed to get into its lineup, but unless Daniel Vogelbach recaptures his 2019 form against right-handed pitching, that doesn’t seem likely. The young star is expected to resume baseball activities this coming weekend, Montoyo said. So I’m optimistic that it could be sometime on the weekend.”. Blue Jays infielder Bo Bichette (right knee sprain) took five at-bats as a DH in a simulated game at Toronto’s alternate training site in Rochester, N.Y., on Monday. Notes: Latest on Giles, Bichette, Pearson. Shortstop Bo Bichette is also closing in on some important steps in his recovery from a sprained right knee. Closer Ken Giles took a major step in his recovery from a right forearm strain Tuesday, throwing his first bullpen session at Sahlen Field in Buffalo, N.Y. Giles has been on the. Results of an MRI on that elbow are still pending, but it’s a worrying turn after Giles initially received a PRP injection in late July and couldn’t work all the way back to his old form. Ken Giles threw another live BP session on Tuesday and “felt good” Montoyo said, but the big test will come tomorrow when they see how their star closer is feeling physically. Without Giles, the Blue Jays will continue to do what they’ve done. Follow him on Twitter @KeeganMatheson. "If Charlie needs me at third base, I’m going to be at third base. “That’s how it felt today. ( Shi Davidi on Twitter ) 9/16: Ken Giles Lands Back On Injured List With Flexor Strain 9/14: Nick Mariano's Waiver Picks - Get 'Em While They're Hot (Premium Content) 9/14: Fantasy Baseball Injury Updates for Week 9 With this combination of back-end arms and multi-inning relievers that the Blue Jays lean so heavily on, the bullpen’s goal will simply be recording outs. “He can be that kind of player. Is it too early to begin the countdown to pitchers and catchers reporting? Follow him on Twitter @KeeganMatheson. Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Ken Giles, right, celebrates with catcher Danny Jansen after closing out the Tampa Bay Rays during the ninth inning of a baseball game in St. Petersburg, Fla., on July 24, 2020. Following a trip to Texas to face the Rangers for a three-game set, their home opener will come on April 8 at Rogers Centre against the Angels. The Blue Jays would love to get Pearson back in a starting role, especially with the other injuries in their rotation, but another possibility could be a shortened and flexible multi-inning role if he’s not built back up. 1 month ago Toronto Blue Jays right-handed pitcher Ken Giles (elbow) had a long road to returning in 2020, but he made two appearances before landing back on the injured list Wednesday. 1 prospect Nate Pearson (right flexor strain) is hoping to play catch this weekend, and his timeline for a return should become clearer as he begins to take those initial steps. Hernández will be available in an emergency role in Wednesday’s game, but he could return to the starting lineup Thursday. This coming weekend against the Mets would be ideal, but they’ll have to play it slow. The Blue Jays are open to bringing Shoemaker back in a bulk relief role for the final stretch run and postseason, but if he's able to build up even further, there's also plenty of room in this rotation for reliable innings, which a healthy Shoemaker could provide. Keegan Matheson is a reporter/editor for MLB.com based in Toronto. The Blue Jays are still expected to be active in their pursuit of starting pitching at Monday's Trade Deadline, but the value of getting players of this caliber back in the lineup can’t be overstated. Closer Ken Giles is headed back to the IL with a right flexor strain in the same elbow that had already caused him to miss the majority of this season, the Blue Jays announced prior to Wednesday’s game against the Yankees. The Giles news is a major blow not just for the Blue Jays, but for Giles himself, as he will be a free agent this offseason. After wrapping up Grapefruit League play with another matchup against the Phillies on March 29, the Blue Jays will head to New York, where they’ll open the 2021 regular season against the Yankees on April 1. The Blue Jays will open on Saturday, Feb. 27, on the road against the Phillies, then have their home opener that following Monday, March 1, at TD Ballpark against the Red Sox. Keegan Matheson is a reporter/editor for MLB.com based in Toronto. This is more likely to come in handy if there’s an injury or late in a game if the Blue Jays are pinch-hitting and need to shake up their subsequent infield defense. Daily Lineups Projected Starters Closers Batting Orders Weather Report Playing Time Changes Today's Umpires The Lineup Card. Manager Charlie Montoyo said that Bichette felt good and lined a few balls back up the middle, but his next challenge will be playing the field. Actually, the days that I DH, I go early with [third-base coach] Luis Rivera and I take ground balls at third base just in case the situation comes.”. An update will follow. Waguespack will add some length to that bullpen group for the time being, while Perez, 24, will be looking at his Major League debut after topping out in Double-A the past two seasons. Rest … Bichette is expected to play about five innings of defense on Tuesday, at which point the Blue Jays will have a clearer picture on his return. That wasn’t nearly the end of their transactions, either. Other injury updatesNo. Cavan Biggio was in right field on Wednesday, where he’s looked plenty comfortable, and that’s been made easier by Montoyo having Jonathan Villar, Santiago Espinal and Joe Panik in the infield. Shoemaker progressing toward returnMatt Shoemaker (right shoulder inflammation) threw 45 pitches over two-plus innings in that live BP session on Wednesday afternoon, and the Blue Jays will have a better feel for his return timeline when they see how the veteran right-hander feels Thursday. With Hernández returning to the outfield picture, the Blue Jays could juggle their defense in a variety of ways. Giles exited Sunday's game against the Rays with an apparent injury, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.. Giles entered for the ninth inning with … Follow him on Twitter @KeeganMatheson. “He gave it all he had. Bichette will be brought along with caution, so baseball activities likely won’t involve him running through max-effort drills immediately, but he’ll be eager to force his way back into a lineup that’s enjoyed a power surge in his absence. With Teoscar Hernández on the IL with an oblique injury, Jonathan Davis is the next in line for outfield reps and has always been a favorite of Montoyo’s for his defensive abilities. After weeks of bad news on the injury front, the Blue Jays finally have some reasons for optimism. Cole, who’s also enjoying a great season. Outfielder Derek Fisher, fresh off a costly error in the series opener at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, was placed on the IL with a right knee contusion after being hit by a pitch in a live BP session Wednesday afternoon. Closer Ken Giles is headed back to the IL with a right flexor strain in the same elbow that had already caused him to miss the majority of this season, the Blue Jays announced prior to Wednesday’s game against the Yankees. “I’m optimistic,” Montoyo said. Assuming Giles is able to work his way back to the ninth inning at some point in September, that would allow manager Charlie Montoyo to use his other high-leverage arms more freely, which could be especially valuable if either Anthony Kay or Thomas Hatch make the full-time move to the starting rotation. It just didn’t work out,” said manager Charlie Montoyo. Weekend return possible for Bichette, Giles. Roles, as they’ve traditionally been defined, are secondary at best. Other nights, it will be Rafael Dolis, who’s quietly been outstanding, or A.J. Manager Charlie Montoyo said that Bichette felt good and lined a few balls back up the middle, but his next challenge will. Anthony Kay was also optioned to the alternate training site after throwing 49 pitches of mop-up duty in the 20-6 loss. Davis will be the primary backup in center field for now, if Randal Grichuk needs a day off, and should also be used off the bench for his speed on the bases. Top 400 By Team Amateur Rankings Latest News MiLB Batted Ball Stats MiLB Stats Farm Futures Minor League Barometer. The next steps for Giles will include another bullpen session before progressing to facing live hitters. “If he hits just OK, he could be in the big leagues for 10 to 12 years,” Montoyo said.