The Toronto Blue Jays were hoping to have former No. 1 prospect Ricky Tiedemann back in the mix this season, but the hard-throwing left-hander is once again dealing with an injury.
Manager John Schneider told reporters, including Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet, that Tiedemann experienced left elbow soreness after his recent throwing session. He’ll be shut down from throwing for a week before being reevaluated.
An MRI didn’t reveal any structural damage, but any type of arm issue is a concern, given Tidemann’s lengthy injury history. He’s currently working his way back from Tommy John surgery. Tiedemann is at MLB Spring Training with the club as he attempts to make the big-league squad for the first time. Injuries have limited the young lefty to just 23 games over the past three years.
Toronto Blue Jays Get Injury Update on Ricky Tiedemann
The 23-year-old was once a prized prospect in the organization. MLB.com had him at No. 1 overall in Toronto’s system back in 2023. He was No. 32 overall that year, and in the top 10 among pitchers. Tiedemann was with the big-league club in Spring Training that season, and once again in 2024, but hasn’t been able to be healthy enough to crack the roster.
Toronto took Tiedemann in the third round of the 2021 draft. He delivered a 2.17 ERA with a massive 38.9% strikeout rate over 18 appearances in his first season as a professional. He put together another dominant season in 2023, posting a 3.68 ERA across three levels while striking out opponents at an absurd 44.1% clip. Tiedemann closed that campaign with four scoreless innings at Triple-A.
The injuries began to mount from there. Tiedemann dealt with bone chips in his elbow, even before needing major surgery. He missed all of 2025 as he recovered from TJ. Even after the missed time, FanGraphs still ranks him as the No. 5 prospect in Toronto’s system.
Is There a Role on the Blue Jays for a Healthy Tiedemann?
The Toronto starting rotation is largely set. Even with Shane Bieber and Bowden Francis going down with injuries, it’s hard to see Tiedemann infiltrating the group, even if he can prove he’s healthy. Free agent acquisition Dylan Cease will join Kevin Gausman as the headliners. Postseason star Trey Yesavage has earned a spot after debuting late in 2025. Toronto brought Cody Ponce back to MLB after a few strong seasons in NPB and KBO. Jose Berrios will slot back in after closing last season injured.
The rotation is so crowded, Eric Lauer is seemingly headed for a bullpen role, a development the veteran isn’t too enthused about for 2026. With Lauer as the long reliever, the next target for Tiedemann would be short relief. He’s never appeared out of the bullpen as a professional, but it’s likely his best path to reaching the MLB roster.
The main competition from the left side is Brendon Little and Mason Fluharty. Little led the team with 30 holds last season, more than twice as many as the next-closest pitcher (Yariel Rodriguez with 14). He’s likely locked into the lefty setup role. Fluharty scuffled to a 4.44 ERA in his first taste of MLB action. Unseating him might be Tiedemann’s best shot to contribute with the Blue Jays.
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