Return timeline for Addison Barger announced

That matters because Barger has been one of Toronto's more noticeable missing bats since the opening week. He went on the 10-day injured list on April 7 with a left ankle sprain.

The latest update pushed things forward. Schneider said Barger has resumed baseball activities, and the next step is running the bases on April 30.

That running piece is the real checkpoint. Hitting and field work can start earlier, but once an ankle injury gets back to full-speed base work, the return starts feeling less abstract.

Toronto also has a near-term plan attached to it. MLB's injury tracker said Barger could begin a rehab assignment in Florida this weekend.

That turns this from a general progress note into a roster story. A rehab assignment means the Blue Jays are getting close to seeing him in game action again, not just drills at the complex.

The timing matters for a lineup that has been stretched by injuries. Schneider has had to shuffle depth pieces through the outfield and infield while waiting for regulars to come back.

Barger's absence has lingered because of how the injury happened. He hurt both ankles on the same play in early April, even though the IL move was listed under the left ankle sprain.

Before the injury, he had only 19 at-bats in 2026, so this is less about restoring a hot streak and more about getting a real lineup option back into the mix. He opened the year with 1 hit and 2 RBIs.

That is why the update carries weight even without a firm activation date. Toronto does not just need healthy bodies. It needs position players who can give Schneider another credible bat and another arm in the field.

There is still one box left to check. Barger has to prove the ankle can handle game speed, turns, stops, and the daily grind that comes with regular work.

But the tone has changed. Addison Barger is no longer stuck at the rehab complex waiting on the next medical update. He is moving toward the lineup card again, and for the Blue Jays, that is a real step.