Pitcher Eric Lauer DFAed, outfielder Addison Barger returns to Blue Jays’ IL

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Blue Jays manager John Schneider said that he and Lauer had talked over the pitcher’s comments about not being a starter in mid-April and that Monday’s decision was just about the left-hander’s ongoing struggles on the mound.

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“A tough, tough conversation, because of what he did last year and things like that,” said Schneider, referring to Lauer’s career-best 3.18 ERA and 102 strikeouts over 104 2/3 innings, including 15 starts, in 2025.

“I know it was kind of back and forth with him this year, ‘pen, starting and we just felt like we needed to go in a different direction. That was it.”

Toronto also placed third baseman/outfielder Addison Barger on the 10-day injured list with right elbow inflammation ahead of a game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

The move was retroactive to Sunday, one day after Barger returned from a sprained left ankle that sidelined him for 29 games.

Schneider said Sunday that Barger woke up with limited range of motion after making a strong throw from right field in Saturday’s 14-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels. Schneider said Barger got a cortisone shot in his elbow on Monday.

“He had an MRI, nothing structural, with ligament or loose bodies or anything of that kind in the joint,” said Schneider. “Hopefully he’ll be down from throwing activity for three, four days, and then hopefully it clears up.

“Hopefully it’s a short stint (on the IL) it sucks he had one game back and then back on.”

The Blue Jays recalled outfielder Yohendrick Pinango from Triple-A Buffalo and added right-handed pitcher Yariel Rodríguez to the major-league roster in corresponding moves. Toronto opened a three-game series against Tampa Bay on Monday at Rogers Centre.


Schneider had a litany of injury updates for the Blue Jays’ crowded IL.

Starting pitcher Shane Bieber (elbow) will throw to live hitters on Tuesday, outfielder Nathan Lukes (hamstring strain) will be running the bases by the end of the week and ideally get into some single-A games over the weekend.

Reliever Yimi Garcia (elbow surgery) was more sore than usual after a rehab appearance with the single-A Florida Complex League Blue Jays on Thursday, so Schneider said his next outing will be pushed a couple of days. Catcher Alejandro Kirk (fractured thumb) has been swinging off a tee.

Veteran starting pitcher Max Scherzer, who is on the 15-day injured list with right forearm tendinitis and left ankle inflammation, will also get a cortisone injection into his right thumb.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 11, 2026.

John Chidley-Hill, The Canadian Press