Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho: Belts grand slam in easy win
Rotowire
Varsho went 1-for-4 with a grand slam in Wednesday's 14-0 win over the Padres.
It was the seventh long ball already this year by Varsho, who has played just 16 games after missing the start of the season due to a shoulder injury. While the outfielder is batting only .217, he has three doubles, 17 RBI, one stolen base and 11 runs scored over 60 at-bats in addition to the homers. The lefty-hitting Varsho is hitless in nine at-bats against southpaws, but he boasts a 1.003 OPS across 51 at-bats versus right-handers.
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Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho: Big jump in exit velocity
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Varsho's average exit velocity has increased from 86.1 mph in 2024 to 94.1 mph this season heading into Sunday's game thanks to tweaks he made to his swing mechanics this offseason, Mitch Bannon of the Athletic reports.
That's an absolutely stunning increase in how hard Varsho is hitting the ball. The center fielder was in the seventh percentile in AEV last year; this year he'd be in 95th percentile if he had enough plate appearances to qualify for the Statcast leaderboard. The added force has led to six homers and a .404 ISO through his first 14 games, and while that pace is unsustainable, Varsho seems poised to take a run at the career-high 27 home runs he slugged in 2022 despite the fact that he missed the first month of the current season while recovering from shoulder surgery.
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Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho: Slugs sixth homer
Rotowire
Varsho went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Friday's loss to the Tigers.
The center fielder got the Blue Jays on the board in the sixth inning by swatting a Jack Flaherty fastball over the fence in left-center field, but the home team was already in a 4-0 hole at that point. Varsho has been supplying big-time power since making his belated season debut in late April, slashing .227/.265/.659 with six homers and 13 RBI in only 12 games.
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Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho: Getting breather Thursday
Rotowire
Varsho is absent from the lineup for Thursday's game against the Rays.
The Blue Jays have been careful not to overload Varsho since he returned from the injured list April 29, as this is his fourth day off since that date and he also missed an additional game with lower-back tightness. He should be back in the lineup Friday versus the Tigers. Myles Straw is in center field and batting eighth Thursday.
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Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho: Posts two-homer day in loss
Rotowire
Varsho went 2-for-5 with two home runs and four RBI in Tuesday's loss to the Rays.
Varsho had a solo home run in the fourth and then a three-run blast in the eighth to put the Blue Jays ahead 7-6. Both long balls had an exit velocity over 113 mph, which were the hardest-hit balls in Varsho's career. He now has five home runs and 11 RBI in 10 games since his season debut April 29, and six of his eight hits on the season so far have gone for extra bases.
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Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho: Checking out of lineup Sunday
Rotowire
Varsho is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Mariners.
Since being activated from the 10-day injured list April 29 after completing his recovery from offseason shoulder surgery, Varsho has yet to start in more than three consecutive games. That trend will continue Sunday, as Myles Straw gets the nod in center while Varsho rests after starting Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Over his first nine games of the season with Toronto, Varsho is slashing .194/.250/.516 with three home runs, one stolen base, seven RBI and four runs.
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Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho: Launches third homer
Rotowire
Varsho went 3-for-4 with a double, a home run and three RBI in Thursday's win over the Angels.
The center fielder crushed a Connor Brogdon changeup down the right-field line for a solo shot in the eighth inning, giving Varsho his third homer in seven games since making a delayed season debut after completing his recovery from shoulder surgery. He's batting .273 (6-for-22) with one steal, four runs and six RBI. And while Jays manager John Schneider has eased him back into the lineup -- Varsho has yet to start back-to-back games in May -- the Gold Glover appears ready to handle a full workload.
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Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho: Expected to play Tuesday
Rotowire
Blue Jays manager John Schneider said after Sunday's 5-4 loss to the Guardians that he's hopeful Varsho (back) will be ready to rejoin the lineup for Tuesday's series opener against the Angels, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Varsho wasn't activated from the 10-day injured list until this past Tuesday while he needed some extra time to begin the season to complete his recovery from the right shoulder surgery he underwent last September, but it was a bout with lower-back tightness that resulted in the outfielder being scratched from the lineup Sunday. Schneider downplayed the injury after the game, noting that Varsho likely could have pushed through the back issue if needed, but the Blue Jays didn't want to take any chances with him so soon after the IL stint. An off day Monday will afford Varsho added time to heal up before the Blue Jays travel to Anaheim for a three-game set.
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Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho: Sitting versus lefty
Rotowire
Varsho is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Guardians.
With left-hander Logan Allen on the mound for Cleveland, the lefty-swinging Varsho will take a seat as Myles Straw gets the start in center field, batting eighth. In three games since returning from the IL to make his season debut, Varsho is slashing .300/.462/.900 with two home runs, three RBI, two runs scored and three walks across 13 plate appearances.
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Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho: Pokes second homer
Rotowire
Varsho went 1-for-3 with a walk and a solo home run in Thursday's win over the Red Sox.
The center fielder slapped a Tanner Houck sinker up in the zone over the fence in the left-field corner to get the Blue Jays on the board in the seventh inning. Varsho has already gone yard twice in three games since coming off the IL, while collecting three total hits and three walks.
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Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho: On cusp of activation
Rotowire
Manager John Schneider said Varsho (shoulder) will play in center field Sunday with Triple-A Buffalo before being activated from the 10-day injured list Tuesday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Varsho hasn't gotten on track offensively through six games of the rehab assignment with just two hits in 21 at-bats, but the Blue Jays are apparently ready to bring him off the injured list. The 28-year-old had a .214/.293/.407 slash line in 136 games last season and should take over as Toronto's primary center fielder.
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Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho: Activation decision looming
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The Blue Jays will decide Thursday whether Varsho (shoulder) will be activated from the 10-day injured list this weekend against the Yankees or if he'll continue his rehab assignment, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
The 28-year-old has gone 0-for-10 with four strikeouts across his three rehab games thus far, but the Blue Jays are more concerned with how his arm is recovering game to game as he makes his return from shoulder surgery. Even if it's decided that Varsho needs a few more games in the minors, he should still be able to join the Blue Jays next week.
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Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho: Moving rehab to Triple-A
Rotowire
Varsho (shoulder) will move his rehab assignment from Single-A Dunedin to Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Varsho went 0-for-6 with two strikeouts in two games at Single-A, but he's progressed enough in his recovery from right shoulder surgery in September to continue rehabbing in Triple-A. The 28-year-old outfielder will be evaluated by the Blue Jays later this week, and there's a chance he could be activated from the 10-day injured list during this weekend's series against the Yankees.
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Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho: Beginning rehab assignment
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Varsho (shoulder) will begin his rehab assignment with Single-A Dunedin this weekend, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Varsho is expected to play a couple of games for Dunedin before shifting his rehab assignment to Triple-A Buffalo for approximately five games. Barring any setbacks, that would line Varsho up to return either near the end of the upcoming road trip against the Yankees or for the start of the Blue Jays' homestand April 29. Varsho is in the final stages of his recovery from a procedure on his right shoulder that he underwent in September.
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Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho: Set to start throwing in games
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Varsho (shoulder) will begin throwing in extended spring training games this week, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports.
Varsho hasn't had any problems hitting while recovering from a shoulder procedure he underwent in September, and he's now been cleared to test his shoulder in a competitive environment. If he gets through a few extended spring training games with no issues, he'll be sent to Triple-A Buffalo to begin a rehab assignment before finally making his season debut with Toronto.
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Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho: Not throwing in games yet
Rotowire
Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Friday that Varsho (shoulder) is throwing from 150 feet but has not been cleared to throw during extended spring training games, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports.
A rehab assignment does not appear imminent for the center fielder. Varsho did not have any problems hitting in spring training while working his way back from right shoulder surgery, but the Blue Jays want the Gold Glover to be ready to handle his full duties before he's activated from the 10-day injured list.
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Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho: Heads to IL
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The Blue Jays placed Varsho (shoulder) on the 10-day injured list Thursday, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com.
Varsho produced a .994 OPS over 37 plate appearances as a designated hitter in spring training, but because much of his value is derived from his defense, the Blue Jays will stash him on the IL to begin the season while he waits to gain clearance to play center field. Though he's still on the mend from September surgery on his right shoulder, Varsho recently increased his throwing distance to 120 feet, so he may not need much time to complete his throwing progression before making his 2025 debut. His IL placement is retroactive to Monday, so he'll be eligible to debut as soon as April 4.
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Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho: Could begin season on IL
Rotowire
Manager John Schneider said Sunday that Varsho (shoulder) is likely to begin the season on the injured list if he's not cleared to play the outfield, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
The 28-year-old has been serving as a designated hitter in spring games while he continues to rehab from September shoulder surgery, but Schneider apparently doesn't want to continue that plan into the regular season. Varsho has extended his throwing distance to 120 feet, and the Blue Jays are expected to make a decision on his availability for Opening Day by the end of the week. Any potential absence to begin the season likely wouldn't be lengthy.
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Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho: Could be ready for Opening Day
Rotowire
Varsho (shoulder) threw out to around 105 feet Thursday and could be cleared to play the outfield by the time the Blue Jays open their season March 27 versus the Orioles, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
After he underwent surgery on his right shoulder Sept. 23, Varsho's availability for the start of the 2025 season appeared to be in peril, but the 28-year-old appears to be progressing well in his recovery. Though he hasn't yet been cleared to resume playing the outfield, Varsho has been able to stay on track with his normal spring hitting progression by serving as a designated hitter in six Grapefruit League games and going 5-for-16 with three home runs. A reigning Gold Glove Award winner, Varsho brings a good amount of his value in center field, but the Blue Jays could be open to deploying him as a DH to begin the season if he needs a little extra time to complete his throwing program.
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Blue Jays' Daulton Varsho: Shoulder feeling better
Rotowire
Blue Jays manager John Schneider played catch with Varsho (shoulder) from 90-to-100 feet Sunday and said it was "probably the best" the 28-year-old has felt, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
Varsho will continue to extend the distances of his throwing as he works his way back from right shoulder surgery. The Blue Jays have not ruled Varsho out for Opening Day, although it's unclear whether he would be ready to play the outfield by then. He's looked good at the plate this spring as a designated hitter, going 4-for-13 with two home runs and a 1:3 K:BB.
