NEW YORK - Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Teoscar Hernandez was placed on the 10-day injured list Thursday with a left oblique strain.
Hernandez was pulled from Wednesday’s 6-4 win over the Yankees with left side discomfort, and an MRI revealed the strain.
“You never know with obliques but I don’t think it’s as bad as we thought it would be,” manager Charlie Montoyo said before the Blue Jays concluded a four-game series at Yankee Stadium.
Hernandez grounded out to second base in the sixth inning and left the field in pain. He slammed his helmet as he made his way down the dugout tunnel back to the clubhouse.
The 29-year-old was a first-time All-Star in 2021, when he hit .296 with 32 homers, 116 RBIs and an .870 OPS. He’s finished in the top 20 of AL MVP voting each of the past two seasons and is 6-for-19 with one homer and three RBIs in the first week of the season.
In the pandemic 2020 season, Hernandez missed 10 games with an oblique injury in September.
“We’re going to be careful,” Montoyo said. “He’s done it before. He knows what it feels like. So whenever he feels ready.”
Montoyo said recent acquisitions Raimel Tapia and Bradley Zimmer would see time in right field. He also said George Springer could slide over from center field.
In a corresponding roster move, the Blue Jays recalled infielder Gosuke Katoh from Triple-A Syracuse.