The Toronto Blue Jays had already taken a massive step back with the timeline of Shane Bieber getting pushed back. Now, two more players join the list: World Series hero Trey Yesavage and 23-year-old Ricky Tiedemann.

Nick Gosse, the host of Jays Digest, after hearing this news, said, “Things just took a scary twist.”

Gosse continued, “So a report came out last night… revealing that Ricky Tiedemann had some elbow soreness… the bad news is we’re talking about his elbow at all… That’s the scary part to me.”

The Toronto Blue Jays face sudden pitching depth concerns after multiple recent injury developments.

Top prospect Ricky Tiedemann recently experienced elbow discomfort, alarming fans already fearing recurring problems. Medical imaging revealed no structural damage, yet his recent shutdown raised organizational caution.

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He previously missed significant time across multiple seasons, managing forearm and shoulder soreness issues. These repeated interruptions threaten Toronto’s carefully built pitching pipeline and future rotation stability.

Tiedemann himself tried easing fears, saying, “I feel good,” during a recent media session. Still, Toronto limited his throwing program despite encouraging medical feedback from examinations.

He threw limited innings, showing that caution remains a priority for the team. Losing development time hurts because Toronto envisioned him anchoring postseason rotations. His uncertain timeline forces Toronto to reconsider pitching depth plans entering the 2026 season.

Meanwhile, young right-hander Trey Yesavage faces a delayed ramp-up entering spring training. He threw 139.2 innings across minors, majors, and playoffs during the 2025 season.

Manager John Schneider explained, “Trying to be strategic,” when discussing careful workload management plans. Toronto avoided assigning unrealistic expectations like 200 innings or 32 immediate starts this season. This approach protects Yesavage after the shortest offseason following an intense World Series last year.

Importantly, Yesavage remains healthy, with Toronto emphasizing precaution instead of injury rehabilitation.

Schneider noted, “first year in big leagues,” requires carefully monitored usage patterns. Short-term impact includes fewer early appearances, preserving effectiveness during important competitive stretches for the postseason. Toronto also lost prospect Chay Yeager after UCL surgery, ending the entire 2026 season campaign.

These setbacks signal clear urgency, adding reliable pitching depth before postseason aspirations intensify significantly.

All the more reason for the Blue Jays to sign Max Scherzer

Ricky Tiedemann’s elbow soreness, added to Shane Bieber’s forearm fatigue, adds more pressure on the Jays for opening day. Bowden Francis underwent Tommy John surgery, removing him from the entire 2026 pitching plans.

Last season, the Toronto Blue Jays carried only six healthy starters during the postseason games. Fans remember that Max Scherzer signed a one-year, $15.5 million contract in February 2025 with Toronto, which proved to be very crucial.

Ben Nicholson-Smith said, “talks have gotten more serious in the last week.” Toronto could offer a minor league deal with opt-outs like Randy Wolf did, protecting both sides financially.

However, Scherzer needs weeks to build innings before facing major league hitters. Pitchers normally throw controlled outings first, preventing reinjury after a long inactive offseason.

Adding Max Scherzer requires clearing a 40-man roster spot, risking another contributor. Without guaranteed innings, carrying him limits flexibility during unpredictable early-season games.

Nicholson-Smith added, “Blue Jays now appear his most serious pursuer.” Scherzer delivered a Game 7 World Series start after missing three months injured, but was very good in the postseason.

If injuries increase, the Toronto Blue Jays can call him, stabilizing the fragile rotation without any hassle