For a Toronto Blue Jays team already at the bottom of the AL East, the hits just keep on coming. After a deep postseason run that ended with a World Series loss in 2025, the Blue Jays entered 2026 aiming to reverse that disappointment. However, with a 7-12 record, they are now hit with another setback to their already injury-plagued pitching.

Right-hander Lazaro Estrada became the latest addition to the Blue Jays’ long list of injured players.

The 26-year-old landed on the IL with an impingement in his throwing shoulder, reported Keegan Matheson of MLB.com. On his X post, Matheson also revealed that, though Estrada’s injury came to light after Toronto optioned him, it actually happened during his time in the big leagues. So, Estrada is currently on the MLB IL.

Matheson wrote on X, “Injury news: RHP Lazaro Estrada is actually on the Major League IL now. He has a right shoulder impingement, which was only found after he was optioned, but was determined to have happened while he was in the big leagues, so it’s the MLB IL. #BlueJays.”

After giving up 2 homers and 7 runs across 7.1 innings in his two outings last season, Estrada has fared much better in his only appearance yet in 2026. He threw four shutout innings, issuing only two walks while striking out twice against the Chicago White Sox on April 4, when the injury seemingly appeared.

However, the Blue Jays optioned Estrada to Triple-A Buffalo the following day, on April 5.

His placement on the 15-day IL is retroactive to April 5 and will likely be sent down to Triple-A again once he is reactivated. Per MLB.com, Estrada became the eighth pitcher on the Blue Jays injured list of players.

The franchise has not yet provided a timeline for his return. Alongside Estrada, RHP Trey Yesavage is also on the 15-IL. However, following his April 15 rehab outing, Yesavage can potentially return as soon as his next start.

Meanwhile, as the Blue Jays work with limited starters, the franchise went a different route with Eric Lauer against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Eric Lauer is unhappy with the Blue Jays’ new strategy

After dropping their latest series against the Brewers, Toronto lost the first of three games against the D’backs on Friday. During their 6-3 defeat, the Blue Jays used reliever Braydon Fisher as an opener, before starter Eric Lauer took over from the second.

Fisher gave up only one hit in the inning he pitched, throwing 9 strikes in 11 pitches.

Lauer gave up 3 runs and 1 walk, including 1 homer, on 5 hits across 5 innings against the Diamondbacks, while striking out 4. Lauer has posted an ERA of 7.13 in three starts this season, with a record of 1-3.

Following his second-inning start, Lauer expressed his unhappiness with the changed routine.

He bluntly put it as something he hated doing, stating that it interfered with his pre-game routine, reported Keegan Matheson. The lefty further hoped that his franchise would not continue to make him pitch behind an opener.

“To be real blunt, I hate it. I can’t stand it,” expressed Lauer, according to Matheson. “Hopefully it’s not something that we will continue doing, but that’s above my pay grade.”

Eric Lauer lost his arbitration case against the Toronto Blue Jays. The left-handed pitcher had requested $5.75 million, but an independent panel sided with the team’s $4.4 million offer.

The 30-year-old was a big deal in the team’s postseason run in 2025. He pitched 8.2 innings over five appearances, holding opponents to a .194 average. In Game 3 of the World Series, he threw 4.2 shutout frames. That’s something Toronto cannot afford to lose this year, especially when they are trying to push for another deep campaign.