A veteran Toronto Blue Jays right-hander is finally trending in the right direction, and a return shortly after the All-Star break looks realistic.
He opened the season on the injured list while completing his recovery from surgery last September to remove scar tissue around his elbow.
That recovery hasn't been a straight line. He's been pulled off rehab assignments on two separate occasions, first due to elbow soreness, then because of nerve symptoms tied to his biceps and neck.
Now he's taken the next real step in his throwing progression, putting him in position to resume facing hitters soon after the break.
That's meaningful progress for a pitcher who's dealt with setback after setback just trying to get back on a mound in games that count.
Nerve symptoms in particular tend to complicate a rehab timeline more than a straightforward soreness issue would, since they require more caution before ramping back up.
Once he's cleared to head back out on an actual rehab assignment, he'll likely need several outings there before Toronto brings him off the shelf for good.
Why the timing matters for a team fighting for position
Toronto enters the break at 45-51, last in the American League East but just 2.5 games out of a wild card spot, the kind of margin where every returning arm counts.
A bullpen already stretched by injuries and inconsistency this season could use a proven veteran presence back in the mix for the stretch run.
It's a bit like waiting on a key employee to finally clear a long medical leave right as the busiest season of the year kicks into gear.
Does a return this deep into July still give him enough time to matter down the stretch, or is this more about getting healthy for 2027 than actually impacting this specific playoff push?
For now, the next update is the rehab assignment itself, and how his elbow and everything connected to it responds once he's actually facing hitters again.
Toronto's bullpen depth chart could look very different by August if this latest step in his recovery finally holds.
Will this reliever make a real impact for the Blue Jays if he returns from injury this season?
Also read on Blue Jays Insider :
John Schneider faces backlash from US media over recent decision
