Patrick Corbin returning this season is a long shot, per Arden Zwelling, the Blue Jays learned Sunday.

"Some longer-term notes as Blue Jays continue churning through starters. Patrick Corbin (shoulder) returning this season is described as a 'long shot,'" Zwelling wrote.

That's a tough update for a rotation that's already absorbed one injury after another this year.

Corbin had actually pitched well before things fell apart. Toronto signed him to a one-year, $1 million deal, and he helped fill a genuine need in the rotation.

He went 3-4 with a 5.51 ERA over 19 games, including 15 starts, with a much sharper 3.65 ERA across his first 10 starts.

Things unraveled in June, when an 8.69 ERA over 19.2 innings led Toronto to shift him to the bullpen entirely.

Why Toronto keeps finding ways to win anyway

Corbin is in his 14th big-league season, a two-time All-Star who won a World Series with Washington back in 2019.

His absence adds to a rotation that's already dealt with injuries to Jose Berrios, Bowden Francis, Trey Yesavage, Jameson Taillon, and Shane Bieber this year.

Despite all of that, Toronto sits at 72-72, holding onto the final wild-card spot.

The Blue Jays won the first two games of this Royals series, playing what manager John Schneider called some of their most resilient baseball of the year.

"Feels like it's been a while, but I love the way we're playing," Schneider said. "We struck first, got punched back in the mouth and stayed on it."

Max Scherzer has been a big part of that turnaround, settling in after a rough first inning Saturday.

"I feel great. My body's really responding. I'm getting stronger every outing and I'm executing better," Scherzer said. "I feel healthy, I feel good, everything's in a good spot. Keep it going."

Losing Corbin for good stings, but it hasn't stopped Toronto from climbing back above .500 and holding its ground in a crowded wild-card race.

Whether this rotation can keep patching itself together well enough to finish the job is the question the final stretch will answer.