The Toronto Blue Jays announced Tuesday that they have placed right-hander T.J. Zeuch on the 10-day IL and have recalled infielder Santiago Espinal from the alternate training site.
ROSTER MOVES:
RHP T.J. Zeuch (right shoulder tendinitis) has been placed on the 10-day IL.
INF Santiago Espinal has been recalled from the Alternate Training Site and will be active for tonight's game. pic.twitter.com/4adQfXuxYV— Toronto Blue Jays (@BlueJays) April 20, 2021
Zeuch goes on the IL with what the team is describing as "right shoulder tendinitis." He pitched just two-thirds of an inning in his last outing against the Kansas City Royals back on April 18, which is when Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said Zeuch brought forth the issue with the training staff.
"After his outing he complained about his right shoulder," explained Montoyo. "Today he still feels the same way... Diagnosis was tendinitis, so we decided to put him on the IL.”
In terms of why they decided to bring up Espinal instead of another pitcher, Montoyo says the team made the decision mainly because they wanted another right-handed bat in the lineup.
"We are facing left-handed pitching coming up," said Montoyo. "So we decided it would be good to have Espinal in the lineup... so we went with the position player."
Zeuch joins an already large list of Blue Jays' pitchers who have been assigned to the IL. Nate Pearson, Thomas Hatch, Ross Stripling, Julian Merryweather and Jordan Romano are just a few of the names that Zeuch will be joining on a crowded IL.
Espinal has a .375 batting average and a .875 OPS in three games for the Blue Jays this season.
The moves come ahead of the Blue Jays' Tuesday night game against the Boston Red Sox which can be seen live on Sportsnet ONE at 7 p.m. ET.
