NEW YORK — Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Teoscar Hernandez was put on the 10-day injury list Thursday with a left oblique strain.
Hernandez was pulled from Wednesday’s 6-4 win over the Yankees with discomfort down his left flank and an MRI showed the strain.
“You never know with slants, but I don’t think it’s as bad as we thought it was,” manager Charlie Montoyo said before the Blue Jays ended a four-game streak at Yankee Stadium.
Hernandez landed on second base in the sixth inning and left the field in pain. He popped his helmet open as he walked back through the shelter tunnel to the clubhouse.
The 29-year-old made his first All-Star in 2021 when he hit .296 with 32 homers, 116 RBI and .870 OPS. He has finished in the top 20 on the AL MVP poll for each of the past two seasons and is 6-for-19 with one homer and three RBI in the first week of the season.
In September of the 2020 pandemic season, Hernandez missed 10 games with an oblique injury.
“We will be careful,” said Montoyo. “He’s done it before. He knows how it feels. So whenever he feels ready.”
Montoyo said recent acquisitions Raimel Tapia and Bradley Zimmer see time in the right field. He also said George Springer could slide over from midfield.
In a related roster change, the Blue Jays recalled infielder Gosuke Katoh from Triple-A Syracuse.