Toronto Blue Jays Provide Injury Updates on Joey Votto, Yariel Rodriguez

According to a report from Shi Dividi of Sportsnet, here is the latest on the injuries to Toronto Blue Jays' pitcher Yariel Rodriguez and first baseman Joey Votto.

Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto (19) gets ready for a pitch with two strikes in the second inning. / Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY

The Toronto Blue Jays provided several injury updates on Friday, including ones with regards to pitcher Yariel Rodriguez and first baseman Joey Votto.

Per Shi Dividi of Sportsnet on social media:

Bowden Francis and Chad Green slated for rehab outings Sunday with triple-A Buffalo, says Blue Jays manager John Schneider.

Yariel Rodriguez is scheduled for Tuesday with the Bisons.

Joey Votto has been hitting live BP this week in Dunedin and could progress to games soon.

Bowden Francis and Chad Green slated for rehab outings Sunday with triple-A Buffalo, says Blue Jays manager John Schneider.

Yariel Rodriguez is scheduled for Tuesday with the Bisons.

Joey Votto has been hitting live BP this week in Dunedin and could progress to games soon.

— Shi Davidi (@ShiDavidi) May 17, 2024

Rodriguez, who was signed to a five-year deal this offseason, has dealt with a back issue multiple times already this season. He started his spring training late because of back issues and has been on the injured list here with a back issue. He started four games for the Blue Jays before getting hurt, going 0-1 with a 4.11 ERA. The 27-year-old has struck out 16 batters in 15.1 innings.

Assuming all goes well with his rehab assignment, it's unclear what role he'll have with the Blue Jays when he returns. Alek Manoah has regained the spot vacated by Rodriguez in the rotation, so the team could use Rodriguez in long relief, or could elect to keep him in Triple-A.

As for Votto, he hasn't played all season because of an ankle injury suffered in spring training upon signing with the Blue Jays. Because he only signed a minor league contract, there's no guarantee he ever sees the field for Toronto, but they'll continue to let him get healthy enough to try.

If the 40-year-old Votto is able to make the Jays roster this season, it will be one of the best stories in baseball over the course of the year. The Toronto native spent 17 years with the Cincinnati Reds but is trying to make his hometown team in a kind of beautiful career irony of ending his career in the place it began.

Votto is a lifetime .294 hitter with a .409 on-base percentage. He is the active leader in games played (2056), hits (2135), walks (1365), and intentional walks. He led the Major Leagues in on-base percentage three times and is a six-time All-Star, in addition to an MVP.

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