Ricky Tiedemann has John Schneider finally looking at a real rehab checkpoint, with the Blue Jays lefty closing in on facing hitters again.
The latest update is a meaningful one. Tiedemann is still throwing bullpen sessions at Toronto's spring complex, but he is now close to a live batting practice session instead of just building in the background.
That matters because live hitters are the next real gate in this recovery. If all goes well, Tiedemann is expected to face hitters 2 to 4 times before the Blue Jays clear him to pitch in games.
That is a much better place than where this year started. Tiedemann missed all of 2025 after Tommy John surgery, which already had his development clock pushed back before this spring ever opened.
Then came another setback. Tiedemann was shut down during Spring Training because of more elbow soreness, which is why this new update feels bigger than a routine rehab note.
The Blue Jays are still not talking like a return is around the corner. CBS reported he is unlikely to become an option for Toronto before the second half, which keeps the timeline honest even as the news gets better.
-
Why Ricky Tiedemann's update still matters now
This is not just about one prospect throwing a little harder or a little longer. Tiedemann is still one of the most talented arms in the organization, even after injuries knocked him from the front of the conversation.
MLB.com noted when Toronto added him to the 40-man roster in November that he was the club's No. 4 prospect and a former No. 1. That kind of pedigree is why every healthy step still gets attention.
It also explains why the Blue Jays are moving carefully. A pitcher with this much missed time does not need a rushed comeback built around desperation. He needs a clean one built around staying on the mound. That is an inference from his recent injury path and current rehab plan.
The live-BP step is where the recovery starts feeling real again. Bullpens can tell a club how the arm feels, but hitters show whether the stuff is playing, whether the delivery holds, and whether the body responds the next day. That is an inference from the standard rehab process and the stage he is entering.
For Toronto, there is no need to oversell it. Tiedemann is not about to walk straight into the rotation, and the second-half language makes that clear.
But this is still the kind of update the Blue Jays needed. Ricky Tiedemann is no longer stuck on flat ground or trapped in vague rehab talk. He is getting close to hitters, close to game work, and a little closer to becoming part of the picture again.
Will Ricky Tiedemann help the Blue Jays in the second half?
Also read on Blue Jays Insider :
The Blue Jays are not done shaking up their roster - a pitcher has been DFA'd ahead of the Orioles series
