DUNEDIN, FL — In a season full of “Next Man Up” moments, few players capture the Toronto Blue Jays’ gritty, never-quit attitude better than Addison Barger. After a breakout 2025 that saw him finish third on the team in home runs and deliver a dramatic pinch-hit grand slam in the World Series, the 25-year-old infielder/outfielder’s 2026 campaign hit a painful roadblock with a severe ankle sprain on Easter Sunday.
On Wednesday, Barger reached a significant milestone in his recovery: he officially resumed running drills in Dunedin. Under the careful watch of the team’s training staff, the left-handed hitter was spotted performing linear running work on the grass. While he’s not yet doing the sharp lateral cuts and zig-zag movements needed for infield defense, the simple fact that he is weight-bearing and moving without any visible limp marks a huge step forward from an injury many worried could keep him sidelined until June.
“Addison is a worker,” manager John Schneider said with clear admiration. “He’s a ‘dirtbag’ in the best possible way. He wants to be out there competing, and he’s attacked this rehab with the same fire he brings to a 98-mph fastball. Seeing him run today is a really positive sign. He’s a big piece of our power profile, and we’ve definitely missed that left-handed bat in the middle of the lineup.”
Barger’s 2025 breakout completely changed his trajectory, turning him from a promising prospect with pop into a proven run producer. His ability to play both third base and right field gave the Blue Jays valuable defensive flexibility that helped carry them deep into October. In his absence, the team has leaned on newcomer Lenyn Sosa and utility man Tyler Fitzgerald, but Barger’s elite hard-hit metrics — which ranked in the top 10% of the league last season — have been tough to replace.
There are still several steps left on the road back. Barger will need to progress to agility drills, defensive work in the field, and eventually a full minor-league rehab assignment to regain his timing at the plate. The Blue Jays are currently targeting a late-May return, but after this week’s encouraging progress, that timeline could accelerate.
For Toronto fans, Barger has become the face of the “future-is-now” core. Paired with Vladimir Guerrero Jr., he forms a dangerous left-right power foundation that makes the Blue Jays a threat in any ballpark. Watching him take those first confident strides back on the grass in Florida sends a clear message: the Blue Jays’ slugger of the future isn’t about to let a sprained ankle slow him down for long.
The sight of Barger running again is more than just a rehab update — it’s a reminder that this young, resilient Toronto lineup still has plenty of firepower waiting to be unleashed.