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Blue Jays reliever Yimi Garcia said he won’t be ready for Opening Day.
The Toronto Blue Jays will begin their defense of the AL pennant on Friday, March 27, against the Athletics, but a key bullpen piece will not be with the team.
Right-hander Yimi Garcia told reporters he will not be ready for Opening Day as he recovers from elbow surgery, relays Shi Davidi of Sportsnet. “It’s a really long season, so we have to be smart and do the best we can,” Garcia said.
The 35-year-old reliever has yet to throw off the mound during MLB Spring Training. He intends to begin the buildup process for the regular season in the coming weeks, per Davidi.
Toronto Blue Jays to Be Without Reliever Yimi Garcia on Opening Day
Toronto originally signed Garcia ahead of the 2022 season. He was a reliable member of the bullpen for two years, primarily as a setup man. Garcia was at his best in 2024, when he posted a 2.70 ERA with five saves in the first half. The strong performance led the Blue Jays, who were out of contention, to deal Garcia to the Seattle Mariners for Jonatan Clase and Jacob Sharp.
The reliever made 10 appearances with Seattle. In the offseason, he came right back to Toronto. The Blue Jays secured his services for a two-year, $15 million commitment. Garcia provided a solid 3.86 ERA with three saves through 22 games in 2025, but injury issues soon threatened his season.
Garcia originally hit the injured list in July with an ankle sprain. As he began the rehab process, nerve issues popped up in his elbow. The arm concerns would ultimately lead to surgery, which ended his season after 22 appearances. Garcia missed Toronto’s postseason run, which ended with a Game 7 loss in the World Series.
Who Will Replace Garcia in the Bullpen on Opening Day?
If a save situation arises in the opener, it’ll go to Jeff Hoffman. The question with Garcia sidelined will be how the Blue Jays get the ball to their closer in the 9th inning.
One of the unheralded additions during Toronto’s offseason spending spree was right-hander Tyler Rogers. The submarining veteran inked a three-year, $37 million deal after splitting last season between the San Francisco Giants and the New York Mets. Rogers doesn’t have the velocity of a typical high-leverage reliever, but the results speak for themselves. The righty has come through with a 3.04 ERA or better in each of the past three campaigns.
The closer one-to-one substitute for the hard-throwing Garcia would likely be Louis Varland. The converted starter excelled out of the bullpen for the Minnesota Twins in 2025, cruising to a 2.02 ERA in the first half. The Twins dealt him to the Blue Jays during their massive reliever sell-off at the trade deadline. Varland struggled with consistency after joining Toronto, but did push his strikeout rate to a career-best 28.3%. He was used to a record degree in the postseason.
The dark horse to contribute in the later innings might be Braydon Fisher. The right-hander dominated as a rookie last season, posting a 30.7% strikeout rate and a perfect 7-0 record. Fisher seldom worked in big spots, though he did manage to earn five holds.
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