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Addison Barger Still Not Doing Baseball Activities
Toronto Blue Jays third baseman/outfielder Addison Barger (back, elbow) is still hoping to return this season, but he's currently still not doing any baseball activities, according to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. Per manager John Schneider, August is a best-case scenario for Barger's return from the 10-day injured list. It's been a lost season for the 26-year-old left-handed hitter, as he's appeared in only nine games for Toronto due to ankle, back, and elbow injuries. At this point, it's extremely hard to recommend holding the former sixth-rounder in 2018 in even deep-mixed fantasy leagues. Barger has gone 1-for-22 at the plate with two RBI, five walks, and five strikeouts in his nine games earlier this season after slashing .243/.301/.454 with a .756 OPS, 21 home runs, 74 RBI, 61 runs scored, and four stolen bases in 135 regular-season games in 2025 in his first full year in the big leagues. He's only rostered in 18% of Yahoo leagues at the moment and doesn't have a clear timetable for a return in the second half of the season.
Source: Sportsnet - Ben Nicholson-Smith
Source: Sportsnet - Ben Nicholson-Smith
Louis Varland Could Keep Strong Run Going in Second Half
Toronto Blue Jays right-handed reliever Louis Varland has been one of the biggest surprises in fantasy baseball as a closer through the first half of the season, going 3-3 with a 1.10 ERA (1.43 FIP), 0.98 WHIP, his first 19 career saves, 67 strikeouts, and 13 walks in 49 innings pitched to become a first-time All-Star. The 28-year-old has yet to blow a save so far in 2026, which could lead many to believe that he's due for plenty of regression in the second half in his first full season with the Blue Jays. However, with the third-best xwOBA (.223) among all pitchers in baseball, Varland's underlying metrics back up his strong first-half showing. The former 15th-rounder by the Minnesota Twins in 2019 out of Concordia University has allowed five earned runs on 12 hits (one homer) in 18 innings since the start of June, but he's also struck out 25, walked four, and recorded 11 saves during that span. Varland's expected ERA of 2.04 predicts some regression coming, but not enough to consider him a true sell-high candidate as a closer in fantasy. His hard-hit rate sits in the 64th percentile, and his barrel rate is in the 98th percentile. When you combine that with a strikeout rate in the 99th percentile, you have an elite closer.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
JoJo Parker Showing Off Power and Speed at Single-A
Toronto Blue Jays infield prospect JoJo Parker is performing admirably in his first taste of professional baseball, slashing .242/.381/.426 with nine home runs and 21 stolen bases through 72 games at Single-A Dunedin. The Jays' top-ranked prospect was particularly hot from mid to late June, which included a four-hit game and five home runs over a nine-game stretch, but was just 1-for-19 (.053) in the five games before the break. The former first-rounder even got to participate in the All-Star Futures game earlier this week, going 1-for-2 with a double, an RBI, and a run scored for the American League squad. Already MLB's No. 27 prospect overall, the 19-year-old is still a couple of years away from the majors, but his above-average hit and power tools make for a strong asset in dynasty leagues.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Dylan Cease Is Back in the Fantasy Ace Tier
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Dylan Cease went into the break with a 2.56 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and an AL-best 148 strikeouts in 98 1/3 innings. He followed that by striking out three in a scoreless first inning as the American League starter on July 14. The 4.55 ERA from 2025 is getting harder to recognize. Cease has pushed his strikeout rate to a career-high 36.9%, and hitters have managed a .264 xwOBA with a 33% hard-hit rate against him. The walks have not disappeared. His 11% rate is actually up from last year, and rest-of-season projections land closer to the low-3.00s than his current ERA. That is the risk. The rest looks ace-level, including a changeup that has jumped from barely 1% usage in 2025 to 11.5% this season. Cease is not someone to move just because the first-half price is high. Hold him and keep collecting strikeouts.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Is Jeff Hoffman a Sneaky Stash Based on Underlying Metrics?
Toronto Blue Jays relief pitcher Jeff Hoffman had a brutal start to the year and lost his job as the team's closer, with the emergence of Louis Varland as an elite bullpen option. He has put together a few strong weeks, though, and could return to fantasy relevance at some point after the All-Star break. He is 5-6 with a 4.57 ERA in his 44 games, but his 2.64 FIP and 3.07 xERA indicate he has pitched much better than his ERA indicates. He has a sky-high .402 BABIP against him (league average is .289 this season), so there could be some positive regression for him in the second half if ht gets some better batted-ball luck. Hoffman did give up two earned runs in his last outing before the break, snapping a 13-game span without an earned run against him. Varland will likely keep the closer job as long as he's healthy, but Hoffman could be a very valuable setup option or end up in a closer spot as bullpens get shuffled at the Trade Deadline. In deep leagues, he makes sense to stash and see, while in standard-sized leagues, he's definitely a reliever to keep a close eye on.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Trey Yesavage a Sell Candidate Going into the Second Half?
Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Trey Yesavage made it to the big leagues quickly after Toronto took him with the 20th overall pick in the 2024 MLB draft out of East Carolina University. The 22-year-old made it up to the majors for three regular-season starts before he became a dominant arm during the Blue Jays' run to the World Series last fall. Toronto is being cautious with the young right-hander's workload -- he made just 14 starts and threw 75 innings in the first half -- and he went 4-4 with a 3.72 ERA (4.11 FIP) and 1.16 WHIP with 69 strikeouts and 39 walks. Yesavage limped into this week's All-Star break, posting a 5.21 ERA (5.73 FIP) with seven home runs allowed, 30 strikeouts, and 22 walks in 38 innings over seven starts. In his final start before the break, he gave up four earned runs with seven walks and just one strikeout in 1 2/3 innings in a no-decision against the San Diego Padres. Yesavage has plenty of long-term upside, but his lack of control (12.5% walk rate) coupled with a lowered strikeout rate (22.2%) should have fantasy managers concerned. It wouldn't hurt to gauge your league's interest in Yesavage at the trade deadline.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Alejandro Kirk a Deep-League Catcher Buy After Slow Return?
Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk hit the break at .202/.273/.315 with two home runs and nine RBI in 99 plate appearances. Not much there. July at least brought some better at-bats: 6-for-25, five walks, two strikeouts, and a .367 on-base percentage. Kirk remains ahead of Brandon Valenzuela behind the plate, so the playing time is there. This is more about buying last year's hitter at a thin position than chasing current production. Kirk batted .282 with 15 homers and 76 RBI in 2025, and the fractured left thumb that sidelined him from early April until June 12 offers some context for the slow return. Still, managers in one-catcher 10- and 12-team leagues can wait. RotoBaller ranks him 80th overall and recommends him in 15-team formats. With Kirk still available in 78% of Yahoo leagues, he is a deep-league rebound target rather than a priority add.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Dylan Cease Named American League Starter for All-Star Game
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Dylan Cease will get the nod as the American League starting pitcher during the upcoming All-Star Game in Philadelphia. This is a well-deserved honor for Cease, who has been outstanding during his first season with the Blue Jays. The right-hander owns a 2.56 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and a 148/44 K/BB ratio across 17 starts this season. This will be the first All-Star game of his eight-year career. The Blue Jays currently sit in the cellar of the AL East as we head into the All-Star break. That is no fault of Cease, who has been electric to begin his Blue Jays career.
Source: Keegan Matheson
Source: Keegan Matheson
Blue Jays Promote Pitching Prospect CJ Van Eyk for MLB Debut
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher CJ Van Eyk has been recalled from Triple-A Buffalo on Sunday. The Jays are looking for reinforcements and believe Van Eyk is ready to make an impact. The 27-year-old owns a 3.79 ERA, 1.30 WHIP, and a 56/23 K/BB ratio across 17 games (13 starts) with Triple-A Buffalo this season. He doesn't have a ton of swing-and-miss stuff, but the Jays are just looking for healthy and refreshed bodies at the moment. In a corresponding move, right-hander Chad Dallas has been optioned to Triple-A Buffalo. Van Eyk has mostly pitched in a starting role, but could operate in a bullpen role in Toronto.
Source: Keegan Matheson
Source: Keegan Matheson
Max Scherzer Shows Encouraging Signs in Rehab Start
Toronto Blue Jays veteran right-hander Max Scherzer (back) wasn't perfect in his latest minor-league rehab start on Wednesday with Triple-A Buffalo, but he showed some encouraging signs. Scherzer allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits (one homer) while walking none and striking out five in four innings to take the loss against Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. The 41-year-old future Hall of Famer generated 16 swings and misses on his 72 pitches and averaged 93.4 mph with his four-seam fastball. He is slowly building his arm back after landing on the 15-day injured list for the second time this season with back spasms, but he's likely going to need at least one more rehab start before he's an option once again for Toronto's starting rotation in the second half of the season. The three-time Cy Young winner and eight-time All-Star is well beyond his prime and doesn't have much left in the tank as he continues to deal with injuries. Scherzer has gone 1-4 with a 10.23 ERA, 1.73 WHIP, and 14:11 K:BB in his six starts for the Jays this year. Fantasy managers are better off stashing higher-upside arms.
Source: Milb.com
Source: Milb.com
Dylan Cease Continues Excellent Season, Takes No-Hitter into the Ninth
Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Dylan Cease nearly had the second no-hitter of his career in Wednesday night's 10-0 shutout victory over the hosting San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park. Cease was marvelous, allowing just one hit and no runs while walking three and striking out 11 to win his sixth game of the year and lower his ERA to 2.56. The 30-year-old took a no-hitter into the ninth inning, but outfielder Heliot Ramos led off the frame with a single to break it up. Cease threw 81 of his 118 pitches for strikes and recorded his sixth game of the 2026 season with double-digit strikeouts. In addition to his strong 2.56 ERA, Cease also has a 1.13 WHIP and American League-leading 148 strikeouts in 98 1/3 innings in his first year in Toronto. The former sixth-rounder of the Chicago Cubs in 2014 now has back-to-back shutouts going into the All-Star break after tossing seven shutout frames with a walk and nine strikeouts his last time out against the division-rival Seattle Mariners. Cease is certainly in play to start the All-Star Game next week for the AL.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Sean Keys' Elite Power Metrics Make Him a Buy-Low Stash
Toronto Blue Jays infielder Sean Keys has struggled to find consistent production in limited opportunities during his first MLB season, but his underlying power metrics suggest significant upside. The 24-year-old is slashing .207/.207/.345 with a .552 OPS across eight games while carrying a 37.9 K%. Despite the early struggles, Keys has displayed elite contact quality with a 93.1 mph average exit velocity and a 61.1 Hard-Hit% that both rank among the best in the league. His ability to consistently drive the ball with authority gives him a strong foundation for future success. If Keys can improve his contact rate against major league pitching, he could develop into a valuable power option. Fantasy managers should view him as a buy-low stash with long-term upside.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Daulton Varsho Carries Five-Category Upside on the Waiver Wire
Across 287 plate appearances so far this season, Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho is hitting .246/.314/.404 with seven home runs, 23 RBI, 32 runs scored, and seven stolen bases. Varsho has dealt with nagging injury issues in recent seasons, so health risk is a part of his profile. However, the 30-year-old has largely stayed on the field in 2026, outside of a short stint on the injured list due to a wrist ailment. Varsho has sacrificed power for increased contact ability this year, as his barrel rate has dropped from 15.9% to 6.5% and his strikeout rate has fallen from 28.4% to 20.9%. While that tradeoff is not ideal for fantasy managers, Varsho carries latent power upside. If he can find the right balance of contact and power in the second half of the season, he could provide five-category production for fantasy managers.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Kevin Gausman Sees Struggles Continue on Monday, Time to Drop in All Leagues?
Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Kevin Gausman did not have a strong return to San Francisco on Monday night, allowing seven runs (four earned) on five hits and five walks through 5 1/3 innings. Gausman did still have eight strikeouts, but he has lost four straight starts to fall to 4-8 on the year. Over his last seven starts, he is 0-5 with a 6.41 ERA and 5.36 FIP. His strikeout numbers are still solid, so there is some hope he turns it around later in the year. If you're in a deep league and can hold him on your bench, there is still potential upside, but for now, it's time to move on from Gausman in all standard-sized mixed leagues. The waiver wire has much better short-term and long-term options in most formats.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Max Scherzer to Make a Rehab Start at Triple-A on Wednesday
Toronto Blue Jays veteran right-hander Max Scherzer (back) will make another minor-league rehab start with Triple-A Buffalo on Wednesday, according to Mitch Bannon of The Athletic. In his first rehab start for High-A Vancouver last Friday, Scherzer threw 49 pitches and allowed two earned runs on three hits while walking two and striking out three in three innings of work. The future Hall of Famer could need one more rehab game in the minors after Wednesday's start, meaning he will not be an option for the Jays' starting rotation before next week's All-Star break. The 41-year-old three-time Cy Young winner and eight-time All-Star is on the injured list again this year due to back spasms after already missing extensive time with a forearm injury and other ailments. Scherzer continues to struggle to stay healthy, and he's no longer his dominant self when healthy, going 1-4 with a 10.23 ERA and 1.73 WHIP with 14 strikeouts and 11 walks in 22 innings in his six starts so far in 2026 for the Blue Jays. Fantasy managers have plenty of better upside arms to choose from off the waiver wire in deeper leagues.
Source: The Athletic - Mitch Bannon
Source: The Athletic - Mitch Bannon
