Jays put Varsho on IL with hamstring injury; add Schneider, Swanson
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The Toronto Blue Jays made a flurry of moves on Sunday, moving outfielder Daulton Varsho to the 10-day injured list with a strained hamstring while recalling utilityman Davis Schneider and activating relief pitcher Erik Swanson.
Left-hander Easton Lucas was optioned to Triple-A to make room for Swanson on the roster.
With Toronto up 6-5 at the time in Saturday's win over the Athletics, Varsho hit a pitch from right-hander Gunnar Hoglund off the top of the wall in left-centre field.
As he tried to stretch a double into a triple, Varsho grabbed the back of his thigh after rounding second base. He awkwardly hopped his way to third and was tagged out by Max Schuemann, who helped lower him to the dirt.
Varsho was in significant discomfort as training staff came out to assist. He was eventually able to slowly walk off the field on his own.
"To lose him will be tough, it would be hard," outfielder George Springer said after Saturday's game. "Again, I hurt for him, our whole staff does, our team will, but you know he'll be back and hopefully he'll be back stronger."
"It's tough, you know, he plays the game one way," said Blue Jays manager John Schneider. "I think it kind of took the energy out of the game a little bit. George's second homer kind of brought it back to life a little bit. But yeah, it's tough.
"Varsh is about as well-liked (a player) as there is probably in the game. Everyone in there is feeling for him for sure."
Varsho was off to a strong start, hitting eight home runs - tied for tops on the team - in just 24 games after his start to the season was delayed while he worked back from off-season shoulder surgery.
Schneider will provide an extra option in the field, as he's played second base, third base and left field at separate points in his 180 games in the majors. Schneider, 26, struggled mightily early this season, and was sent down to Triple-A after hitting .067 in 10 games in March and April.
Swanson, 31, has been dealing with a median nerve entrapment since Spring Training, and was transferred to the 60-day IL earlier in May.
The veteran righty has made rehab appearances with the Dunedin Blue Jays in Single-A, the FCL Blue Jays in Rookie Ball and the Buffalo Bisons of Triple-A while working back from the injury.
In seven games in the minors this year, he has a 10.13 earned-run average over 5.1 innings.
Swanson pitched in Buffalo earlier in the week, his second rehab stint in Triple-A after his first try at the start of the month resulted in a setback. Swanson made the trip up north to join the team in Toronto on Saturday after two appearances with Buffalo.
"He's hovering. He's circling the area," manager John Schneider told reporters before Saturday's game against the Athletics.
Swanson has made 114 appearances for the team over two seasons after being acquired in a trade with the Seattle Mariners in exchange for outfielder Teoscar Hernandez.
Lucas pitched 4.2 scoreless innings in Saturday's game after being called up from the minors earlier in the day.
Toronto tries for a four-game series sweep of the Athletics on Sunday.