The Toronto Blue Jays have lost another pitcher due to injury. Yariel Rodríguez, a right-hander, was placed on the 15-day disabled list due to thoracic spine irritation, the team stated on Tuesday. In a matching move, relief pitcher Zach Pop was brought up. The Blue Jays will have nine relievers and four starters for the time being.
Rodríguez, 27, joined Toronto as an international free agent over the winter and has a 4.11 ERA in four starts. The Blue Jays now have three starters on the major league injury list, and top prospect Ricky Tiedemann is on the Triple-A injured list. Here’s their current rotation depth chart:
The Blue Jays have off days coming up on Thursday, next Monday, and next Thursday. Rodríguez started Monday night, and the Blue Jays won’t need their fifth starting until Tuesday, May 14. With Rodríguez injured, they have time to consider their fifth starter possibilities. This is not a really urgent concern.
Manoah has made four minor league rehab starts and they haven’t gone especially well (19 runs in 13 2/3 innings). He will make a Triple-A start Tuesday night. If needed, Manoah does line up well to step into Rodríguez’s rotation spot. The performance leaves a lot to be desired though, and reports indicate his stuff has been up and down.
The rotation was the Blue Jays’ strength last year, but one month into the 2024 season, the group ranks 18th with a 4.02 ERA. Gausman and Bassitt have started slow, though Gausman has gotten better as he gets further away from a spring training shoulder issue. Still, Rodríguez’s injury means Toronto is pushing the limits of its depth.
The Blue Jays enter play Tuesday with a 15-15 record and a minus-23 run differential. They have won their last two games after dropping their previous five.
