Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Monday that Barger (elbow) will be shut down for a couple of weeks after a recent MRI revealed a stress reaction in his back, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports.
Analysis:Per Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca, Schneider noted that Barger made been progressing well in his recovery from right elbow inflammation while ramping up his hitting in Florida over the past few weeks, but he experienced back pain following a recent workout, which prompted the MRI. As a result of the stress reaction, the 26-year-old's return from the injured list will be delayed until after the All-Star break. After a strong finish to the 2025 regular season and a star turn in the Blue Jays' run to the World Series, Barger has been unable to build on that breakout performance, largely due to injury. He's been limited to just nine games with the big club so far in 2026 while missing time due to left and right ankle sprains in addition to the elbow and back problems.
