Daulton Varsho was back in the lineup for Blue Jays vs Cubs on Saturday after the Toronto Blue Jays reinstated him from IL and made him active against the Chicago Cubs. The move gave Toronto its Gold Glove center field option back after a minimum stay away from the roster.
Varsho Back After June 10
Varsho had been on IL since June 10 with left wrist inflammation. He resumed hitting this week, then returned with a.738 OPS, five home runs and 64 games already on his season line.
The Blue Jays made Lazaro Estrada active at the same time. He had gone on IL in April with a shoulder impingement after one appearance for the Blue Jays, and his only outing before that move came in a 6-3 loss to the Chicago White Sox, when he worked four innings out of the bullpen, held them off the board and struck out three.
Buffalo Moves For McAdoo
Toronto cleared room by optioning Charles McAdoo and Brendon Little to Triple-A Buffalo. McAdoo was hitting.160 with one home run in eight games, and Little had just allowed four runs in one inning during Friday's 16-2 loss to the Chicago Cubs.
Those changes left the active group trimmed and gave Toronto a cleaner look for Saturday against the Chicago Cubs. The Blue Jays entered at 37-39 and 10 games back of the New York Yankees in the AL East, so every roster slot now carries more weight than it did earlier in the season.
Shane Bieber Monday
John Schneider said Shane Bieber is set to make his season debut Monday against the Houston Astros. Bieber, acquired by the Blue Jays last summer, made seven regular-season starts with Toronto while recovering from Tommy John surgery and posted a 3.57 ERA and 1.017 WHIP in 40.1 innings.
The last check on Bieber was uneven. He threw 80 pitches in a rehab start on Wednesday, allowed five earned runs and 11 baserunners in five-plus innings, and still remains the next major rotation piece Toronto plans to use after leaning on bullpen days for much of the season.
Varsho's return answers one roster need immediately, but Toronto may not settle on the same group for long. With Monday's start pending for Bieber and McAdoo and Little already moved out, the Blue Jays have already shown they will keep adjusting the roster around the arms and bats that are ready to go.
