Daulton Varsho DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho (shoulder) has been playing catch up to 165 feet but has not yet been cleared to throw in games. Varsho opened the regular season on the 15-day injured list as he is working his way back from shoulder surgery. However, Varsho was able to serve as the designated hitter during spring training. The coaching staff has noted that Varsho will only join the MLB roster when he is cleared to play defense. While he has been sidelined, prospect Alan Roden has seen playing time in the starting nine. Last season, Varsho saw most of his time in left and center field. Across 136 contests, the 28-year-old posted a .214/.293/.407 slash line with 18 long balls and 10 stolen bases. Varsho is worth monitoring as he will hold value in category formats given his ability to hit for power and steal bases.

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho (shoulder) will begin the season on the injured list, according to manager John Schneider. While it was thought this was going to be the case all along, it was confirmed by Schneider on Saturday. Varsho had been working as the team's DH this spring and was posting good results, slashing .276/.333/.793 with four home runs in 29 at-bats. While that type of pace should not be expected during the regular season, the left-handed hitter has some decent pop in his bat, slugging as many as 27 home runs in 2022 and 18 last season. The 28-year-old also has good speed, reaching double-digit steals each of the last three seasons. He won a Gold Glove in 2024 as well, so the Jays would rather him play both sides of the ball (not just DH), which is why he'll begin the season on the IL as he recovers from September rotator-cuff surgery. The IL stint is not expected to be a long one, while it leaves Nathan Lukes, Myles Straw, and Alan Roden as potential short-term replacements. If needed, Varsho could be stashed in an IL spot for fantasy. Otherwise, he'd be a viable waiver-wire pickup if available when he returns.

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho (shoulder) could begin the season on the injured list. Keegan Matheson of MLB.com noted that the outfielder is throwing at 120 feet and is viewed as "day-to-day." However, a "brief" stint on the IL is considered the "likeliest" outcome. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his status as the team will make a decision in the coming days. The 28-year-old has been deployed exclusively as a designated hitter during spring training and has yet to progress enough to take the field defensively. However, even if he did open the season on the injured list, he will likely not miss an extended period of time. Last season, Varsho appeared in 136 games for the Blue Jays and held a .214/.293/.407 line with 18 home runs and 10 stolen bases. When healthy, he should be viewed as a viable depth outfielder in category formats given his ability to hit for power and carry speed upside.