Blue Jays Manager Reveals Update After Team’s Concerning Announcement
The Toronto Blue Jays improved to a perfect 3-0 in Spring Training, defeating the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2 at TD Ballpark on Tuesday. Playing several of their regulars, the Blue Jays had all three of Bo Bichette, Andres Gimenez and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in Tuesday’s lineup.
Also giving 2021 seventh round pick Joey Loperfido the start, Blue Jays manager John Schneider placed the 6-foot-3 slugger in center field. Acquired by Toronto from the Houston Astros in July, Loperfido headlined the Blue Jays’ return for left-handed starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi.
Leaving Tuesday’s game in the first inning, Loperfido crashed into the wall and was visibly shaken-up.
This was a very concerning play, and the Blue Jays later announced Loperfido was experiencing neck discomfort.
“UPDATE: OF Joey Loperfido was removed from today’s game with neck discomfort,” the team announced. This concerning situation received a positive update from Schneider after the game.
“John Schneider says that Joey Loperfido has no concussion symptoms and should be fine,” Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reported on X. “Good outcome given how awkwardly he went into the wall.”
Loperfido had 262 plate appearances between Toronto and Houston last season in his first MLB campaign. While he posted just a .614 OPS, the left-handed slugger is highly-touted, ranking as Houston’s 18th-best prospect in 2023 (via MLB.com).
With just two at-bats this spring, Loperfido is 1-for-2 with a double. His collision with the wall on Tuesday looked scary, but Schneider’s update is an encouraging one, indicating Loperfido should not be forced to miss much time, if any at all.
