Cease Leaves With Hamstring Pain, Guerrero Jr. Exits — Blue Jays News
Blue Jays news turned on two injuries Sunday, as Dylan Cease left in the fifth inning with left hamstring pain and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. exited after taking a pitch off his right elbow in a 4-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Toronto now has to manage a pitching timeline and a lineup hit at the same time.
Cease Leaves in the Fifth
Cease removed himself after feeling pain in his left hamstring, and John Schneider said he will have an MRI to determine the extent of the injury. The pitcher had started to shake his left leg earlier in the inning and called trainers out because of cramps before leaving.
That exit carried extra weight because Cease said, “I did not want to miss my next start later this week versus the Orioles in Baltimore.” He had never missed a start in eight major league seasons before Sunday, which makes the MRI the immediate step that will shape whether that streak holds.
Guerrero Jr. Hit by Keller
Guerrero was struck on the right elbow by a pitch from Mitch Keller in the fifth inning and immediately turned and walked to the dugout. Schneider said, “He told me his arm was numb and that he couldn’t feel his right hand,” then added, “He is obviously going to be sore but I think we got the best possible news we could.”
Schneider also said, “He could possibly even play [Monday] but if he needs a day or two to heal that’s no big deal.” Toronto has Trey Yesavage scheduled to start Monday against the Miami Marlins, so the club’s next move comes quickly after a game that left two core players under a cloud.
Toronto Misses the Big Hit
The injuries came in a game the Blue Jays never controlled at the plate. They left 10 runners on base, were held to five hits, and went 1-for-12 with runners in scoring position while also having two batters struck by pitches.
Schneider summed up the loss plainly: “We just didn’t get it going today really,” and, “We didn’t get the big hit. It just wasn’t our day.” Toronto had hoped to sweep an opponent for only the second time in 2026, but settled for two of three against Pittsburgh instead.
What happens next is the part Toronto has to sort out fast. Cease is headed for imaging, Guerrero may be available as soon as Monday, and the Blue Jays open their series with Miami before heading to Baltimore later this week.
