Varsho to make Spring Training debut at DH for Blue Jays
Published
Daulton Varsho will be in the lineup for the Toronto Blue Jays in their split-squad matchup against the Detroit Tigers on Friday, though he won't be in his customary spot in centrefield.
Varsho is batting second against Detroit as the designated hitter - a role he has occupied only twice in 294 games with the Blue Jays.
The 28-year-old outfielder will see his first action in Spring Training as he continues to rehab from off-season shoulder surgery to repair a rotator cuff injury in his right shoulder.
Varsho was originally injured in August of last year and played through the injury until September. He eventually cut his season short and had the procedure to repair a rotator cuff injury on Sept. 23.
MLB.com's Keegan Matheson reported that Varsho was progressing quickly in his return after manager John Schneider told reporters before Spring Training opened that Varsho would likely begin the season on the injured list, but was quick to point out that the major hurdle for Varsho is going to be throwing and playing defence.
"Varsho's been a little further along than I expected, because with an outfielder with a shoulder injury ... We're typically talking about pitchers. Varsho, as a centre fielder, is hard to project," Matheson said on Feb. 21.
"Throwing is going to be the big part of all of this, and Varsho loves to run into walls as well, so I guess you need to brace yourself for that at some point in his recovery."
Varsho's flashy defence in centre field - highlighted multiple times by diving catches and catches running into the wall - earned him a first-career Gold Glove award in 2024.
Per FanGraphs, Varsho accounted for 29 defensive runs saved, by far the highest total amongst players in the major leagues a season ago.
With Varsho already playing at DH in the first week of Spring Training, the possibility remains that he could be in the startling lineup for Opening Day on March 27.
In 136 games a season ago, Varsho hit .214 with 18 home runs and 58 runs batted in.