Toronto Blue Jays Bring Up Former Top Prospect to Replace Injured Star

Predictably, Toronto Blue Jays placed star George Springer on the injured list after fracturing his left big toe in Saturday's loss against the Minnesota Twins.

He is just the latest in a long line of early season injuries for the reigning American League champions (6-8): Shane Bieber, Trey Yesavage and Jose Berrios haven't pitched yet this season, nor has Yimi Garcia. Addison Barger (ankle) and Alejandro Kirk (thumb) sustained injuries after the start of the season, as did Cody Ponce, who is likely to miss the entirety of the campaign with a torn ACL.

Bowden Francis is out for the year as well with Tommy John surgery, and Anthony Santander might miss the entire season with a labrum issue suffered last season.

On Sunday, the Blue Jays made all-too familiar phone call to Triple-A Buffalo, summoning help for the ailing roster. They called up former Chicago White Sox slugger and top prospect Eloy Jimenez.

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About Jimenez

Still just 29 years old, Jimenez is a six-year veteran of White Sox and Baltimore Orioles. Ranked as the No. 4 prospect in baseball by MLB Pipelinein 2018, Jimenez made his debut with Chicago in 2019.

An integral player for the White Sox as they came out of their prior rebuild, he helped Chicago make the playoffs in the COVID 2020 season and again in 2021. He burst on to the scene in the 2019 campaign, hitting 31 home runs in 122 games. He also hit 14 homers in the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign (60 games), winning the Silver Slugger, but then the injuries set in.

He played just 55 games in 2021 and 84 games in 2022. He rebounded in 2023, hitting 18 home runs and driving in 64, but he struggled in 2024, hitting just .238 with Chicago before getting traded to Baltimore and hitting .232 in 33 games.

He signed a minor league deal with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2025, hitting .278 with three home runs in 40 games at Triple-A Durham. He ended the year in the Blue Jays organization, playing just six games.

He was granted free agency in November of 2025 but re-signed this offseason He hit .246 with five home runs in the Dominican winter league this season and was hitting .257 with a homer and five RBIs in Buffalo this season.

Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter Eloy Jimenez (74) hits an RBI double during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at JetBlue Park at Fenway South. Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

A 13-year veteran of the Houston Astros and Blue Jays, Springer is a four-time All-Star who is known for his clutch playoff performances. He won the 2017 World Series with the Astros, earning the World Series MVP, and he sent the Blue Jays to the World Series in 2025 with a late game-winning home run against the Seattle Mariners.

He's in the final year of a six-year contract that he signed before the 2021 campaign.

The Blue Jays will play the Twins again on Sunday afternoon.

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