Addison Barger gave John Schneider the better injury update Tuesday, with Lenyn Sosa still a step behind in Dunedin.
At the Blue Jays complex in Florida, Barger has moved to hitting and throwing as he works back from right elbow inflammation. Sosa has begun a hitting progression after a right wrist contusion.
That split matters right away. Toronto lists Barger's expected return as early-to-mid June, while Sosa is still sitting at TBD.
Barger went on the 10-day injured list on May 11, retroactive to May 10, after the elbow issue flared just 2 days after he returned from an earlier ankle absence.
Sosa's stay is newer. He landed on the 10-day injured list on May 28, retroactive to May 27, so his clock is naturally behind Barger's.
Toronto needs bodies back, too. The Blue Jays are 29-32, and the injury board in Florida still includes Alejandro Kirk, who is set to begin a rehab assignment as a designated hitter on June 3.
Barger's update carries extra weight because the throwing side is part of his value in right field. Last month, he uncorked a 101.2 mph outfield assist, the hardest tracked outfield assist throw in MLB this season.
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Addison Barger looks closer than Lenyn Sosa
That is why this feels more like a real step for Barger than a routine rehab note. He is checking off 2 boxes at once, while Sosa is still starting on the first one.
Toronto also knows what Barger's bat can do when he is right. In 2025, he hit 21 home runs with a .755 OPS, which is the kind of left-handed damage this lineup has missed.
Sosa fills a different lane on the roster. The Blue Jays traded for him on April 13 after he put up 22 home runs in 2025 with the White Sox.
His own 2026 line before the wrist issue was light, with a .195 average and a .490 OPS. That still does not wipe out his value as right-handed infield depth on a club that keeps patching the bench.
So the wording in this update tells the story. Barger is moving toward baseball activity that looks closer to a return, while Sosa is still building back into swing work.
For Schneider, this is less about one dramatic activation and more about stabilizing the lineup card. One player looks closer to rejoining it, while the other still has more ground to cover.
After the latest update out of Dunedin, the Blue Jays got a little relief and a clear pecking order. Addison Barger is moving toward a return, but Lenyn Sosa is not there yet.
Will Addison Barger beat Lenyn Sosa back to Toronto?
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