Addison Barger is getting closer, and John Schneider finally has a better injury update for the Blue Jays outfielder.
Schneider said Barger is continuing to ramp up his hitting work in Dunedin and is «making progress» as he works back from elbow inflammation. That is the clearest sign yet that Toronto may not be too far from getting him back.
For this roster, that matters. Barger has been stuck on the 10-day injured list since May 11, when the Blue Jays shut him down again only 2 days after activating him from an earlier ankle issue.
That sequence is what made this injury feel heavier than a normal day-to-day setback. Barger returned against the Angels, felt soreness in the elbow, and Toronto had to pull him back out almost immediately.
Now the tone is better. The Blue Jays' official injury tracker lists him as progressing, and the fact that he is increasing hitting work in Dunedin suggests the club is moving from rest toward a real return plan.
Barger is not just another bench piece here. He played 135 games for Toronto in 2025 and hit 21 home runs with a .755 OPS, enough to become a real lineup option across the outfield and in the infield.
That versatility is part of why Schneider keeps bringing him up. When Barger is healthy, he gives the Blue Jays another left-handed bat and another movable piece on the lineup card.
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Barger's return could ease a strained Blue Jays lineup
The 2026 numbers do not look good yet, but they also barely tell the story. Barger has appeared in only 9 games and owns a .305 OPS, which is the kind of tiny sample that disappears fast once a player gets healthy and regular at-bats again.
The bigger point is availability. Toronto has spent much of the season patching around injuries, and every healthy regular matters more for a club still trying to climb back into rhythm.
There is also a practical next step to watch. Once Barger is ramping up his bat in Dunedin, a rehab assignment usually comes into view, especially since he already had one there during an earlier recovery this season.
That does not mean he is back tomorrow. Schneider's wording was still careful, and Toronto has not attached a return date to the progress.
But this is finally a better headline for the Blue Jays. After weeks of stops and starts, Addison Barger is moving again, swinging again, and giving Toronto a real chance to get one of its useful left-handed bats back in the mix soon.
Will Addison Barger make a real impact when he returns?
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