Toronto Blue Jays: Hernandez and Tellez may return before playoffs

Reinforcements could be on the way for the Toronto Blue Jays, with reports indicating Teoscar Hernandez and Rowdy Tellez are both ahead of schedule in their recovery from injuries.

As of Monday morning, the Toronto Blue Jays are in an excellent position in the American League standings. They are in fifth place with a 26-20 record, four games behind first place and five ahead of ninth position.

Toronto sports fans never take anything for granted when it comes to their pro teams, but the situation certainly looks positive with just 14 regular season games remaining. As if this wasn’t enough, the Blue Jays have also received some excellent news on the injury front.

Toronto has had some extremely bad luck during the 2020 season when it comes to injuries to key personnel, but they have managed to remain competitive. Still, they were more than happy to have Bo Bichette back in the lineup at the weekend and if the latest news is any indication, more reinforcements are on the way.

As per a report from Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet, Teoscar Hernandez is ahead of schedule in his recovery from a left oblique strain. Referencing comments from general manager Ross Atkins, Nicholson-Smith wrote that Hernandez has recovered exceptionally well to this point and seems to be bouncing back quickly.

This makes for a pleasant surprise both for the player and his ball club. Hernandez was originally projected to miss at least the rest of the regular season, if not the playoffs as well.

Hernandez was having an exceptional year prior to his injury, as arguably the best player of the roster. He leads all regulars in home runs and OPS, and is still tied for the team lead in RBI and hits despite missing playing time.

The 27-year-old is eligible to be reactivated on Sept. 16, although the Blue Jays will likely remain cautious given that they are stilling winning games without one of their top hitters. Regardless, the signs look promising that Hernandez will return before the conclusion of the regular season.

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Even more surprising than the news relating to Hernandez, is the latest update regarding Rowdy Tellez. Again reported by Nicholson-Smith, Atkins said Tellez would hopefully become an option for the playoffs, if not before the end of the regular season.

This announcement goes against a report from the Toronto Sun‘s Rob Longley, who indicated Tellez was expected to miss the rest of the 2020 season. The 25-year-old suffered a right knee strain last Tuesday, in a game against the New York Yankees.

Most people would agree Tellez is less of a certainty compared to Hernandez. However, at least there is some hope for a player who was putting together a fine season before his injury.

By extension, the situation now looks more promising for a Blue Jays ball club which has continued to find ways to win. Opponents are already nervous about facing them in the playoffs, but having Bichette, Hernandez and potentially Tellez back will make Toronto even more dangerous.

Where is your confidence level at with the Toronto Blue Jays right now? Do you fully expect them to qualify for the playoffs, or are you concerned they may find a way to miss out? Let us know in the comments section below.