Blue Jays vs Yankees

Barger homered in his first rehab game with Single-A Dunedin on Sunday and will play there again Tuesday. He could rejoin the Blue Jays after that and be activated as soon as Wednesday, but a return Friday for the start of a homestand seems likelier. Barger has been sidelined since early April with sprains in both ankles.

Kirk has spent the past several weeks recovering from a procedure he underwent in early April to repair his fractured left thumb. He was given a six-week return timeline following the operation, which would put him in line to return sometime around mid-May, though an updated estimate will likely emerge as he continues to check off boxes.

Francis dealt with a right shoulder impingement during the 2025 season that landed him in the injured list in June. He was able to commence a throwing program in August after some prior setbacks and had managed to face hitters during live batting practice. However, with the right-hander set for Tommy John surgery, he may go a season and a half without pitching in a game.

Ponce sprained his right ACL in late March, which was a severe enough injury to require season-ending surgery, but he should be available for the start of spring training. He signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the Blue Jays in December after spending three seasons in Japan. Ponce's start against the Rockies on March 30 -- when he suffered his injury -- was his first appearance in an MLB game since 2021, when he played with the Pirates.

Berrios -- who is coming back from a stress fracture in his elbow -- was roughed up for seven earned runs on six hits and four walks across 3.2 innings in the outing. More will be known about his status after the MRI results are in, but even if he's cleared of any additional damage, Berrios' return to the Blue Jays' active roster doesn't appear imminent. Eric Lauer will continue to hold down a spot in the Toronto rotation.

Estrada was excellent in a bulk-relief outing Saturday, holding the White Sox hitless over four innings while striking out three batters and walking two. However, he threw 66 pitches and would presumably be sidelined for several days as a result, so the Blue Jays opted to shuffle him down to Buffalo in order to beef up the team's bullpen depth. Given Estrada's performance Saturday, it seems very likely he'll be back with the major-league club relatively soon.

Scherzer landed on the 15-day injured list early last week with forearm tendinitis and left ankle inflammation. The ankle injury is no longer bothering him, but the nagging forearm issue is preventing Scherzer from advancing in his rehab. He's undergone MRIs that have come back clean, but the veteran righty is still seeking answers for why his forearm is still giving him trouble, noting that he will "talk to more doctors and figure it out."

The team estimates that Lukes is still about a week away from starting up a running progression, but a return to hitting still marks a significant milestone in his recovery from a left hamstring strain. It remains unknown when he'll be cleared to return from the injured list, though a timeline could emerge once he begins running.

Bannon mentions that Springer was spotted in the on-deck circle at one point during Monday's matchup for a potential pinch-hit situation, but he was ultimately pulled back to allow Brandon Valenzuela to hit. Springer has been held out of the lineup for two straight games after being struck by a pitch on his left foot Saturday, but he managed to avoid a significant injury and should be back in action for the second game of the series.

Rodriguez submitted a 3.83 ERA and 1.24 WHIP across 87 appearances (22 starts) for Toronto over the past two seasons, but he headed into spring training with a slim chance at winning a spot in Toronto's Opening Day bullpen after he was outrighted off the 40-man roster in December. The 29-year-old righty is expected to work in relief at Triple-A Buffalo to begin the season.

Boone said that Chivilli has some "acute and chronic stuff going on" in his right shoulder, so the Yankees will shut him down for an extended period of time. The team may provide a timetable for the right-hander's return once his no-throw period is over.

Cole made the fourth start of his rehab assignment Tuesday, covering 4.1 innings and striking out four batters while yielding five earned runs on seven hits and no walks. From a volume standpoint, Cole appears capable of handling a typical starter's workload after he tossed 69 pitches Tuesday, but the Yankees may want the right-hander to iron out his command and pick up some velocity on the farm before adding him to the big-league rotation. While Cole has pounded the strike zone well and has permitted just one walk over 18.2 innings during his minor-league assignment, he's given up six home runs and has punched out just 14 batters. With at least two more starts in the minors on tap, Cole isn't projected to make his 2026 MLB debut until the final two weeks of May.

Stanton hopes to resume hitting this weekend, but there's no word on when he will be cleared to run and a timeline for his return to the active roster won't come into focus until that happens. The designated hitter suffered a low-grade right calf strain one week ago.

Rice will be on the bench for the third game in a row after suffering a left hand contusion while attempting to a field a low pickoff throw during Sunday's 11-3 win over the Orioles. Per MLB.com, Rice had been slated to attempt to hit Tuesday as a test for his injured hand, but the Yankees haven't revealed how he fared during that workout. With that in mind, it's unclear if Rice will be available off the bench as a pinch hitter for Wednesday's contest.