Blue Jays hoping for the best after Cease, Guerrero Jr. exit loss with injuries

TORONTO —

The Toronto Blue Jays manager, John Schneider, said he is hopeful that his club avoided serious injuries to both right-hander starter Dylan Cease and all-star first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who were lifted from Sunday’s 4-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Cease (3-3, 3.05 ERA) exited the game with two outs in the fifth inning with what the team called mild left hamstring discomfort. Meanwhile, Guerrero was removed during the bottom of the fifth with a right elbow contusion after he was hit with a pitch.

Cease started cramping during the fifth inning, according to Schneider, who visited the starter on the mound alongside Blue Jays head athletic trainer Jose Ministral with one out in the inning. Cease threw a few pitches to test out his leg and initially remained in the game, but one batter later, Schneider and Ministral jogged out again, and Cease was removed.

“A guy with his track record, he understands how he feels and what feels like what, so felt OK leaving him in,” Schneider explained. “But then the second time just didn’t want to take any chances.”

The right-hander, who allowed two runs on four hits with eight strikeouts and a walk against the Pirates, was set to receive an MRI after the game, but Schneider said initial testing on his leg was positive.

“He said he wants to make his next start,” the Blue Jays manager said.

Cease, who’s been durable throughout his career, will be re-evaluated by the club’s medical staff in the coming days, before Schneider and his staff will decide if he’ll make his next scheduled start.

“He’s obviously very, very valuable to us, so we’ll make the decision in the next couple of days,” Schneider said. “I think just let the medical team do their thing, and see what’s best for him.”

Losing Cease to injury would be another tough hit to the Blue Jays, who have already lost several starting pitchers to injury this season. Cody Ponce, Jose Berríos and Bowden Francis are all out for the season. Right-hander Shane Bieber began the season on the IL and remains a few weeks out from making starts for Toronto, while Max Scherzer is on the 15-day IL with right forearm tendinitis and left ankle inflammation.

Only minutes after Cease exited the game, the Blue Jays were dealt another blow when Guerrero was hit on the inside of the right elbow with a pitch from Pirates starter Mitch Keller in the bottom of the fifth inning. Guerrero was in obvious discomfort, immediately heading to the dugout and down the steps to the clubhouse.

Schneider said the ball caught Guerrero’s arm in a “weird spot,” and it went numb, which was “why he came out right away,” the Toronto skipper said.

“He usually doesn’t just come out of the game; he’s pretty tough,” Schneider said. “I followed him up, and he just said, ‘It’s numb, I can’t feel my hand, really.’ Kind of like (hitting) a funny bone, but travelling at 90-whatever miles an hour.”

X-rays on Guerrero’s right elbow came back negative for a fracture, which Schneider said was “probably the best possible news.” Depending on how sore Guerrero is, it remains possible that he could be in the lineup on Monday when the Miami Marlins visit the Rogers Centre for a three-game series.

“If he needs a day or so, we’re going to give that to him, but yeah, I think definitely (it’s) a possibility,” Schneider said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 24, 2026.

Kaitlyn McGrath, The Canadian Press