The Toronto Blue Jays announced on Saturday that their shortstop, Troy Tulowitzki, will likely be out for the rest of 2018. Will he return in 2019?
On Saturday, John Gibbons of the Toronto Blue Jays confirmed that they do not expect their shortstop, Troy Tulowitzki, to return to the field in 2018. The often injured slugger is seeing 2018 turn into his seventh season since 2010 in which he has failed to play over 130 games.
Tulowitzki hasn’t played in the majors since July 28, 2017, when he suffered ligament damage in his right ankle while stepping on another player’s foot while running the bases. On top of the surgery to repair his ankle, Tulo also underwent surgery in April to remove bone spurs from both of his heels.
Troy Tulowitzki was originally expected to return to action for the Blue Jays during the second half of 2018, but the slugger is still not cleared to start a rehab assignment. Reports have stated that the shortstop has made progress in a running program, but there still isn’t a timetable set for his return. These facts have the Blue Jays organization eyeing Opening Day of 2019 as being a reasonable return date for Tulowitzki, assuming that his recovery has no further setbacks.
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For a player with a story like Troy Tulowitzki, the idea of no further setbacks might be a foreign concept. Tulo’s current stay on the disabled list marks his 10th injury trip over the past 13 seasons. The righty has missed time with various ailments, he’s torn tendons, fractured bones, strained muscles, and missed time for many other injuries.
Tulowitzki’s current injury is significant because it is threatening his longevity. The fact that his current injury is taking him so long to return from is particularly worrisome due to his vast injury history and the roster situation of his current organization.
Troy Tulowitzki’s body has been through a lot over his 13 seasons in professional baseball. Now that he is soon to be 34-years-old, it is reasonable to assume that Tulowitzki’s body does not heal the same way that it did when he was a 21-year-old rookie. This is extremely apparent as the former star is now behind in his rehab by almost two months.
If I were the Blue Jays, I would be extremely worried about his legs moving forward, especially because Tulowitzki plays a position that requires a high degree of athleticism. Maybe a position change is finally needed? Scouts have always said that Tulowitzki’s size, 6’3” and 205 pounds, would force him to move to third or first base. Maybe it is finally time to make the transition?
But that brings us to our next issue, the Blue Jays are at the precipice of an impending youth movement. Highly touted prospects, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, are set to man the left side of the Blue Jays infield for a long time.
Tulo’s time in Canada could be coming to an end as we will probably see the team go through a bit of a roster overhaul over the next two years. Will another team take a chance on the aging and injury prone shortstop?
As last offseason depicted, there really is not a market for players who are past their prime. If Tulowitzki gets released over the next few months, there is a possibility that we may never see him in a Major League uniform again.
In the end, Tulowitzki’s release seems like a worst case scenario for the Blue Jays. They still owe the slugger $34 million over the next two years before reaching a possible buy out for 2021 and as mentioned earlier, he is making progress in his rehab. Progress is progress, even if it has been a slow progression.
I certainly hope for the best for Troy Tulowitzki, as he was once one of the most exciting players in Major League Baseball. Before the injuries started piling up, Tulowitzki seemed to be on a crash course with Cooperstown.