Blue Jays: Nate Pearson suffers yet another setback
By Paul Taylor
Blue Jays pitcher Nate Pearson can’t ever seem to catch a break, as he has now been diagnosed with a right lat strain following his latest rehab start.
There are plenty of stories over the years of professional athletes never being able to live up to their potential, due to some combination of injuries and bad fortune. You have to wonder at times if Blue Jays pitcher Nate Pearson is headed for a similar fate.
As per Sportsnet‘s Arden Zwelling, Pearson was diagnosed with a right lat strain on Friday. The injury happened during his most recent rehab start, last Sunday for Triple-A Buffalo.
The outing was the first time this year the 25-year-old was working on just four days rest. He only managed to throw two pitches, before being forced to leave the mound due to discomfort in his right shoulder.
At the time of posting this article, the Blue Jays are still working on a recovery timeline. However, it seems safe to assume Pearson now won’t be back before the All-Star break.
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As per MLB.com, recovery time depends on the level of the lat strain, with Grade 1 strains needing two-to-three weeks and Grade 2 strains usually taking at least a month. Grade 3 strains often require surgery and significantly longer recovery periods, although this worst case scenario doesn’t appear to apply to Pearson.
The injury is just the latest setback for the 2017 28th overall draft pick, who was already in the process of rehabbing after a bout with mononucleosis. Prior to the lat strain, he was aiming to rejoin the Blue Jays by the end of June.
Pearson had a stunning Major League debut in July 2020, pitching 5.0 innings, striking out five, giving up only a couple of hits, two walks and no runs. Since then however, he has endured terrible luck.
At one time seemingly destined for a career as a staff ace, the former top rated pitching prospect now faces questions and doubts about what his future holds. Will he ever live up to his potential, or at the very least still be a starter in the rotation?
Certainly Pearson still has a lot to prove, especially with ongoing concerns about his durability. He has contended with a variety of ailments during his time with the Blue Jays organization, dating all the way back to a right elbow injury suffered during his Class-A debut in 2018.
In this respect, right now the Odessa, Florida native would probably just be happy to get to a point where he can be a multi-innings reliever for the Blue Jays. He still has the talent; it’s just a case of getting to the point where he can actually help his ball club on a consistent basis.
For what it’s worth, Pearson is still under club control through the end of the 2026 season. However, as much as the Blue Jays will take their time with his recovery — maybe now more than ever — it does compromise them in the short term.
While Ross Stripling has (so far) done an excellent job since replacing Hyun Jin Ryu in the starting rotation, the Blue Jays still need help in their push for the postseason. With Pearson’s latest setback, more than ever you can now expect the ball club to be on the lookout for a starter and bullpen strength prior to the trade deadline on Aug. 2.
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What is your outlook on Pearson’s future career prospects? Do you see him still fulfilling his potential, or at least become a regular starter in the rotation for the Blue Jays? Let us know in the comments section below.