Nothing is going right for the Blue Jays currently. They are struggling on the field with a 10-15 record. And off the field, the roster’s journey to the IL continues. Half of their starting rotation is still sidelined. Sluggers like Alejandro Kirk and George Springer are also sidelined with injuries. But the team’s agony seems far from over.

The Jays’ 6-8 loss against the Guardians on Friday not only exposed their pitching struggle one more time, but added another performing slugger in the IL. Enough for the fans to panic about the team’s sustainability in 2026.

“Nathan Lukes left the game in Toronto after being in agony running to second base on this double,” Talkin’ Baseball shared via X.

In the first inning, Nathan Lukes hit a leadoff double off the Guardians’ Gavin Williams. He ran as fast as he could and covered second base, but he was visibly in discomfort. It appeared like he tweaked something in his lower body after sliding to second base. Manager John Schneider and a team trainer visited before removing him from the game.

While Lukes was not carted off, a left hamstring strain was detected, which means a minimum of 10-day IL for him. The Jays placed Myles Straw in right field in the second game. And with that, the Jays lost a slugger who’s hitting .250 and even took the leadoff hit on Friday. Even in the last game against the Angels, Lukes recorded one run, one RBI, and 2 hits. And after Friday’s double, the 31-year-old had 11 hits in his last 21 at-bats.

So, while the Jays are in no position to afford injuries anymore, a red-hot batter like Nathan Lukes getting sidelined means a lot.

Currently, a few notable names in the IL for the Blue Jays are Trey Yesavage, Shane Bieber, Jose Berrios, Addison Barger, Kirk, and Springer. And now with Lukes’ joining the list, things are surely getting far more challenging for Schneider.

Eric Lauer, the stopgap solution for the Jays’ battered rotation also seen with a tape on his neck against the Angels. And considering how Max Scherzer gave up 7 ERs without a single strikeout on Friday, there are enough reasons for the fans to panic with the team’s expanding IL.

Just as Nathan Lukes’ IL was announced, fans wondered if the Blue Jays are cursed by any chance and if there’s any hope left in 2026.

The Blue Jays fans are in panic

As per the fans, it can’t be normal that so many top performers got sidelined with injuries. “We are beyond cursed,” one fan said. The Red Sox faced the “curse of Bambino” that deprived them of a World Series ring for 86 years. But what have the Blue Jays done to get cursed? For letting Bo Bichette go? Well, despite being cursed or not, the impact is real, and the Jays’ second-last rank in the AL East is the proof.

“We can’t have nice things,” another added. Take Yesavage, for example. He had a historic 2025 postseason for the Blue Jays. He finished with a 3-1 record, a 3.58 ERA, and 39 SOs over 27.2 innings. Fans had high hopes for him for the new season. But Yesavage began the season on the IL due to a right shoulder impingement. He is yet to play.

So, the Jays fans might panic even if someone plays better.

“Too many injuries for Toronto this season, but once they’re healthy, watch out,” one user remarked. We know what a full-strength Jays lineup could do. Last year’s postseason witnessed their dominance when they made a record for the most runs scored in a single postseason with 105 total runs, averaging 5.8 runs per game.

However, this year, the Jays haven’t had their full strength for a single game. And with how the IL is expanding, we are uncertain about what it will be in reality.

“Blue Jays gotta sign Johnny Giunta at this point,” one fan remarked. While signing former college baseball player Giunta might be extreme, the Jays did call up their prospect Yohendrick Pinango from Triple-A Buffalo. He will likely remain as backup to Straw, as the latter would replace Lukes. “Oof, Lukes looked rough,” another added.

Now, Lukes is reported to be fine within the 10-day IL, but if it gets extended, Straw’s workload needs to be managed. Hence, chances are high that Pinango could make his MLB debut soon. And considering how Lukes’ slide looked rough, brace up for more challenging updates.