BOSTON — Addison Barger’s 2026 season will end with just nine games played, one hit and one memorable but costly throw.
The 26-year-old will have season-ending elbow surgery, and although the specifics have yet to be determined, the procedure will sideline him for all of 2026 and some of 2027. Dr. Keith Meister will operate on Barger, performing either Tommy John surgery or internal brace surgery on Monday.
The timeline for Barger’s return will depend on his recovery, of course, but position players typically return from elbow reconstruction faster than pitchers, as Bryce Harper showed when he returned to action as a designated hitter less than six months after getting Tommy John surgery a few seasons ago.
A nine-month recovery would have Barger ready for late April of 2027 while a 12-month recovery would sideline him until next July.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Barger had been dealing with an elbow issue for “a couple years” before injuring it on an impressive 101.2 m.p.h. throw on May 9 at Rogers Centre that would nab Jorge Soler at home plate.
Despite optimism earlier in the summer that Barger could be days away from a minor-league rehab assignment, he hasn’t played since.
"That throw kind of aggravated it and got to the point where he wanted to get it fixed," Schneider said.
Last year, Barger emerged as a difference maker for the Blue Jays, hitting 21 home runs on his way to a .756 OPS in 135 regular season games. He'd perform even better in the post-season, hitting three playoff home runs, including the first pinch-hit grand slam in World Series history, while posting a 1.025 OPS in October.
Friday’s news means 2026 is officially a lost season for the left-handed hitter.
“It's tough to lose the whole year of at-bats, reps and performance,” Schneider said. “We were counting on him, obviously, to be a big part of our team. You can see how much you miss him for sure. So that coupled with it's also a dude starting his career and trending in the right direction, missing basically a full season — it’s frustrating for him and for us.”
