Blue Jays Player Nearing Return From Injury After Yankees Game
Yimi García is getting closer to returning for the Toronto Blue Jays after continuing his rehab assignment and moving into the final stage of his recovery from elbow surgery. Blue Jays reporter Mitch Bannon posted on X that manager John Schneider said there is a chance García could rejoin the club during its upcoming series in Boston, although no final decision has been made.
García has spent the first part of the 2026 season recovering from a cleanup procedure on his right elbow that he underwent last September. The 35-year-old reliever has progressed steadily through his rehab work and has not experienced any setbacks.
The Blue Jays placed García on the 60-day injured list while he completed his recovery program. Now, after several appearances in the minor leagues, he appears close to returning to the major league roster.
García continued his rehab assignment with Triple-A Buffalo on Saturday. The outing didn't start smoothly, as he allowed consecutive singles to Cristian Pache and Jackson Cluff. Both runners later moved into scoring position.
Updates from John Schneider postgame:
— Mitch Bannon (@MitchBannon) June 14, 2026
- Vladdy's back felt better, was gonna hit in the 9th
- Gimenez's wrist impacts him more hitting > fielding, "off day should be good" for him
- Sounds like there's a shot Yimi Garcia joins the #BlueJays in Boston, though nothing certain there
Despite the early issues, García settled down and limited the damage. He retired Kevin Parada on a popout and then induced a groundout from Matt Rudick.
After allowing one run, he finished the inning by striking out Ji Hwan Bae with a fastball. García threw more fastballs than in his previous rehab outings and reached 97.1 mph during the appearance.
Across four rehab appearances at two minor league levels, García has posted a 4.91 ERA and a 1.91 WHIP in 3.2 innings while recording four strikeouts.
García appeared in 22 games for the Blue Jays during the 2025 season. He went 1-2 with a 3.86 ERA, three saves, 25 strikeouts, and a 1.19 WHIP across 21 innings. Opposing hitters batted just .171 against him during that stretch.
Before the injury, he served as one of Toronto's most trusted late-inning relievers. His ability to pitch in high-pressure situations made him a key piece of the bullpen.
The Blue Jays brought him back before the 2025 season because of that reliability. Over 11 major league seasons, García has compiled a 3.61 ERA with 456 strikeouts in 419.1 innings across 436 appearances.
The timing of García's recovery couldn't have come at a better time for the Blue Jays. The team has remained competitive while waiting for one of its veteran relievers to return.
Adding García would give Schneider another late-game option and strengthen the relief corps. While they will continue monitoring García's progress, the next few days could determine whether he needs another rehab appearance or is ready to rejoin the major league club.
Copyright 2026 Athlon Sports. All rights reserved.
This story was originally published June 14, 2026 at 8:40 PM.