Blue Jays’ Scherzer, Sánchez starting rehab assignments this week

Previously, Scherzer’s rehab stint had been on pause after he received three cortisone injections in his right thumb last week to address the discomfort he had been experiencing earlier this month. They were injected into each of the joints in his thumb.

The future Hall of Famer topped out at four innings in his lone rehab game with Buffalo before this recent shutdown, during which he allowed five runs (four earned) on six hits and zero walks, striking out five on 72 pitches (49 strikes). He was originally slated to make his next start in the Florida Complex League during the All-Star break. But, obviously, those plans were ultimately axed.

Jesús Sánchez is also set to begin a rehab assignment this week, according to Schneider. After running the bases without issue on Monday at the club’s player development complex in Dunedin, Fla., the left-handed-hitting outfielder will run again on Wednesday, and he’ll likely play a Single-A rehab game Thursday if everything feels fine coming out of that.

Since landing on the IL with a right ankle sprain in late June, the 28-year-old has spent the last three weeks rehabbing at the PDC, making progress at the plate, in the field and now on the basepaths. It’s unclear how many rehab games he’ll require, but a potential return before the end of July appears realistic at this point.

Yimi García also doesn’t appear far off from getting back into rehab games. The 35-year-old reliever — yet to make his 2026 debut with the Blue Jays due to elbow, neck and biceps issues — will throw another live BP outing on Tuesday at the PDC, his second since this past Saturday’s, and could advance to an actual live-game environment soon after, per Schneider.

If everything runs smoothly with live BP on Tuesday, García’s next appearance would likely come with Single-A Dunedin at some point, possibly as early as later this week.

One minor prospect-related injury note: right-hander Nolan Perry is doing better after being struck in the side of his head by a 100-m.p.h. line drive during Sunday’s start with Double-A New Hampshire. He immediately left the game with team trainers following his 18th pitch of the contest, exiting with one out in the second inning.

Perry said after the game that he was feeling “OK,” as the Toronto Star’s Doug Fox reported on ‘X’ Monday morning.