TORONTO -- A bad night in Toronto got a whole lot worse when Daulton Varsho left the game after taking a 96.9 mph fastball off his right hand.
Varsho was attempting to check his swing against Brewers reliever Aaron Ashby, and when the pitch made contact with his hand along the bat, he immediately shouted and skipped a few steps up the line before dropping to the ground in serious pain. After speaking with manager John Schneider and the Blue Jays’ trainer, Varsho left the game.
The good news? Initial X-rays came back negative on Varsho’s hand, so the initial diagnosis is a “contusion” and he’ll continue to be evaluated. Given how it looked in real time, that’s the biggest exhale of the season for this organization soon after a tough, 7-2 loss to the Brewers.
This season has already been so challenging for Varsho, who opened the year on the IL as he finished recovering from 2024 shoulder surgery and later landed back on the IL for two months with a hamstring injury. One of the toughest players on this roster, it takes a lot for Varsho to leave a ballgame.
When Varsho’s been healthy, he’s been a powerhouse. He’s launched 15 home runs in just 47 games this season, another evolution in his game on top of being one of the best defenders in Major League Baseball. Varsho has always had the raw power and the ability to chase 30-plus home runs, but he’s clearly simplified his approach in 2025 to tap into that more naturally, which has unlocked a new level.
If Varsho misses any amount of time through this weekend and going into the Reds series beginning Monday, Myles Straw will likely take over in center field, an excellent defender in his own right. Nathan Lukes can also man the position and Joey Loperfido is available in Triple-A, already a likely Sept. 1 callup. But there’s no replacing Varsho’s value on both sides of the ball, even in the short term.
The Blue Jays should have a better feel for Varsho’s availability ahead of Saturday’s second game of the series.