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Blue Jays Welcome Back Daulton Varsho
TORONTO – Daulton Varsho is back, and he’s ready to play his game.
The Gold Glove outfielder was activated from the 10-day injured list by the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday, just hours prior to their matchup against the Boston Red Sox. This marked Varsho’s season debut after he spent the initial part of the year on the injured list recovering from a right shoulder surgery last September.
“Just be myself,” Varsho shared regarding his expectations for the game. “Don’t try to do too much, just go out there and play.”
When he adheres to this mindset, Varsho has proven to be quite effective on the field.
Last season, he recorded a batting average of .214 along with 18 home runs and 58 runs batted in. However, it is his defensive impact that has garnered significant attention, as he secured his first Gold Glove award.
Varsho was ranked second in Wins Above Replacement for Toronto last year, a statistic that evaluates a player’s all-around contribution to the team, including defensive efforts. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. led the Blue Jays with a 6.2 WAR, while Varsho closely followed at 5.0.
Recently, Varsho completed a rehabilitation stint with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons. Tuesday’s game marked the beginning of his third season with the Blue Jays, following his trade from the Arizona Diamondbacks in December 2022, in exchange for Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Gabriel Moreno.
Throughout his career, Varsho has maintained a .225 batting average, with a slugging percentage of .414, and he has tallied 79 home runs across five seasons spent with the Diamondbacks and the Blue Jays.
The 28-year-old, who began his career as a catcher, has quickly become a fan favorite in the clubhouse. “Everybody was really happy,” Varsho commented on his return to the Rogers Centre. “I got to see a couple of guys yesterday, which was good. Happy to be back after a long rehab process.”
Blue Jays manager John Schneider positioned Varsho to bat sixth against Boston and assigned him to center field. This decision allowed veteran outfielder George Springer to take a lighter role as designated hitter, rather than filling in at center. Moving forward, Springer is expected to share right field duties with Anthony Santander.
“It puts George in a better mood. I think he’s happier than Varsho,” Schneider joked about Varsho’s comeback. “I think everyone knows him and appreciates his game.”
“Having him in the lineup enhances our offense, improves our defense, and his presence is invaluable.”
In other roster moves, Toronto activated right-handed pitcher Casey Lawrence, who was claimed off waivers from Seattle. To accommodate this change, right-hander Paxton Schultz and infielder Will Wagner were sent to Buffalo. Schneider also announced that right-handed reliever Erik Swanson, dealing with carpal tunnel syndrome, would pitch for the Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays later in the day. Additionally, righty Ryan Burr, who has been nursing right shoulder inflammation, faced live batters earlier in the day.
Meanwhile, the legendary Max Scherzer, who is recovering from a thumb injury, threw off the mound again, while right-handed reliever Nick Sandlin—suffering from a right lat strain—still has no defined timeline for his return.
Source
globalnews.ca