SerpApi.Org
The Toronto Blue Jays have very little time to turn their season around. Entering Tuesday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto had lost two straight games and sat at 46-54. With the trade deadline approaching, there is a real chance this team looks different in August.
One player doing his best to get the Blue Jays back in the race is left fielder Jonatan Clase, a player who has found a role recently after getting very little playing time previously.
Clase had appeared in just 41 games from 2024-25, but given the number of injuries the Blue Jays have dealt with he has gotten an extended look in July and has made the most of it. Across nine games this month he has posted a .273 batting average, .360 on-base percentage, .905 OPS, two home runs and six RBIs.
Unfortunately, just as he was building momentum heading into his 10th game of the year on Tuesday, Clase was scratched from the starting lineup.
He had been set to start in left field and hit ninth, but instead Toronto added backup outfielder Myles Straw in his place, almost certainly a downgrade in the batter's box.
The team announced the reason for his removal moments later, confirming it was indeed injury-related. "UPDATE: OF Jonatan Clase was removed from tonight's lineup with left foot discomfort," the Blue Jays wrote on X.
It is unclear when Clase suffered the injury, but given the timing he likely felt it resurface during pregame warmups.
With right fielder Addison Barger also out and running out of time to return, the Blue Jays' outfield situation has continued to look increasingly murky.
