Blue Jays Announce Addison Barger News After 24 Missed Games

The Toronto Blue Jays have been piecing together their roster throughout April, and Sunday brought them one step closer to full strength.

Right fielder Addison Barger officially began a rehab assignment with Single-A Dunedin on Sunday, the team announced, marking his first game action since suffering a left ankle injury nearly four weeks ago. The Dunedin Blue Jays confirmed the move on social media Sunday morning.

Barger went down April 5 during a 3-0 loss to the Chicago White Sox, landing awkwardly on first base while attempting to beat out a ground ball. He sprained both ankles on the play and was placed on the 10-day injured list on April 7.

REHAB ALERT@BlueJays Addison Barger has been added on MLB Rehab Assignment! pic.twitter.com/q4V30UVsst

— Dunedin Blue Jays (@DunedinBlueJays) May 3, 2026

The 26-year-old was off to a rough start before the injury, with just one hit in eight games, slashing .053/.174/.105 with no home runs and two RBIs for a .279 OPS. Still, the sample size is too small to draw a conclusion.

His 2025 season has shown the caliber of player he can be. Last season, he slashed .243/.301/.454 with 21 home runs, 74 RBIs and a .756 OPS over 135 games while helping Toronto reach the World Series, its first since 1993. He then elevated his game in the postseason with a .367 batting average, three home runs, nine RBIs and a 1.025 OPS.

Manager John Schneider has said Barger's rehab starts could last a couple of games or more, depending on how he feels. Per Keegan Matheson of MLB.com, he is expected to return during the Blue Jays' next homestand, which opens May 8 against the Los Angeles Angels.

Toronto enters Sunday at 16-17, six games back of the first-place New York Yankees, steadily making progress in the American League East. Getting Barger back into an everyday role gives Toronto a power bat it has clearly been missing.

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This story was originally published May 3, 2026 at 9:56 AM.