Phillies vs Blue Jays

Wednesday was the first time Backhus played catch since going on the injured list April 30 due to left elbow inflammation. The southpaw will continue his throwing program, barring any setbacks, and he could be an option for the Phillies at some point in late May or early June. Through 9.2 innings before getting hurt, Backhus posted a 4.66 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and 10:1 K:BB.

Lazar has been out all season with a left oblique strain he suffered during the World Baseball Classic while playing for Team Israel. He is on the 60-day injured list and not eligible to return until late May, so Lazar will make several rehab appearances before the Phillies consider adding him back to their active roster.

Pop has been sidelined by a strained right calf since mid-April, but he's gearing up for his return to the Phillies. The right-hander will presumably need a handful of rehab outing before Philadelphia considers reinstating him from the injured list. Over 7.1 innings on the year, Pop has a 3.68 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 6:3 K:BB while working mostly in middle relief.

Barger dealt with bilateral discomfort in both ankles early in April before landing on the IL with a left ankle sprain April 7. He returned May 9, but then on May 10, right elbow soreness required an MRI and he was placed on the IL with inflammation May 11. If he gets the green light to resume baseball activities, it might not be long before he embarks on another rehab assignment, but so far this has been a lost season for Barger.

The backstop has been catching bullpens and taking live BP at the team's spring training complex in Dunedin. Assuming Kirk's surgically repaired thumb checks out OK, he could be cleared for a rehab assignment. The 27-year-old has been sidelined since April 3, and his return to the big-league lineup appears to be drawing close. Brandon Valenzuela and Tyler Heineman will continue to split duties behind the plate until Kirk is activated from the IL.

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.

Mantiply presumably picked up the injury during his last appearance Sunday in Detroit, where he allowed a hit and a walk over a scoreless two-thirds of an inning. The left-hander is without an official timeline for his return but will be eligible to be reinstated in early June.

The Blue Jays and Berrios went into the operation unsure whether the pitcher would require a ligament repair, and as it turns out he required a full UCL procedure. Berrios has been sidelined all season with elbow problems and will now likely be shelved until at least the second half of the 2027 campaign.

Estrada was originally optioned to Triple-A Buffalo, but the team later discovered a shoulder issue that he suffered while playing in the big leagues, so he'll land on the major-league IL. He'll be eligible to return to action Monday, at which point the Blue Jays will likely send him back down to Buffalo.

The Blue Jays are still working through his next steps -- he could throw another bullpen session or throw live batting practice in Toronto. Once he throws to live hitters, he'll go on a rehab assignment, per Zwelling.

Lukes will be in the lineup for Single-A Dunedin over the weekend, and if he's progressed enough in his recovery from a left hamstring strain, then he could be reinstated from the IL for the start of Monday's home series against the Marlins. Yohendrick Pinango and Davis Schneider could be optioned to Triple-A Buffalo to make room on the Blue Jays' 26-man roster if Lukes is cleared to return.

Nance can begin throwing again later in the week to work through his forearm discomfort. The right-hander has been a valuable piece for the Toronto bullpen with a 1.99 ERA in 30 regular-season appearances in 2025 and a 3.86 across 20 appearances in 2026.