The Toronto Blue Jays placed outfielder Addison Barger on the 10-day injured list with right elbow inflammation and designated struggling left-hander Eric Lauer for assignment, the team announced Monday.
An MRI determined Barger's elbow has no structural issues, manager John Schneider said, according to Sportsnet's Shi Davidi. The skipper added that the 26-year-old received a cortisone shot for his joint and the team is hoping he'll have a short stint on the IL.
Barger was scratched Sunday against the Los Angeles Angels after suffering an injury in Saturday's game. It's unclear how he was hurt, but the right fielder threw out Jorge Soler at home in the second inning. It was the hardest throw Barger's recorded in the major leagues at 101.2 mph.
Saturday marked Barger's first game back after missing more than a month with ankle injuries.
The Blue Jays also recalled outfielder Yohendrick Piñango and selected the contract of right-hander Yariel Rodríguez. Piñango, 24, has appeared in 10 MLB games this year, recording four RBIs and posting a .423 batting average.
Lauer allowed all six runs in Sunday's 6-1 loss in the series finale. He came into the game in the fifth inning after Spencer Miles and Tommy Nance gave up two hits combined.
Following a loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on April 19, Lauer expressed frustration about entering games out of the bullpen behind an opener.
"I can't stand it," Lauer said, according to MLB.com's Keegan Matheson. "You work with what you've got. I think part of it is that we're trying to mix things up and find ways to win. I think it's a game plan that we had. We went there and tried to execute it the best we could."
Lauer is in the final year of his contract after losing his arbitration battle against the Blue Jays this winter. He was expecting to be a full-time starter in 2026. However, the Blue Jays added multiple starting pitchers in the offseason, including Dylan Cease on a seven-year, $210-million deal.
"It is a little frustrating," Lauer said in February of Toronto's additions to the pitching staff, according to the Toronto Star's Gregor Chisolm.
"I was told last year some things, for certain, would happen this year, and then we made some moves. We got some great guys, so I'm not mad about that, but I think I'm still in a position where I'm in a great spot to produce, and all I have to do is go out there and do it."
Lauer's 11 home runs allowed this season are tied for the second-most among all pitchers in the majors. The 30-year-old owns a 6.69 ERA with 21 strikeouts through 36 1/3 innings pitched.
The Blue Jays kick off a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays at the Rogers Center on Monday night.
