Blue Jays' John Schneider Shares Reason for Removing Andres Gimenez From Blue Jays Lineup
The Toronto Blue Jays are coming off two of their most impressive wins of the young MLB season against the Cleveland Guardians. They took the series finale on Sunday and now prepare to open a series against the Boston Red Sox at Rogers Centre.
Toronto (12-15) continues to grind out wins despite dealing with several key injuries, including George Springer (fractured left big toe), Addison Barger (ankle sprain), Alejandro Kirk (thumb surgery), and Nathan Lukes (hamstring strain).
One player who has managed to stay durable is second baseman Andres Gimenez. He played in 26 straight games to open the season and has been a consistent contributor this season.
However, he was surprisingly absent from the lineup in Sunday's series finale against Cleveland, missing his first game of the season. When the Blue Jays released its starting lineup for Monday's game, the second baseman was again left out, which quickly led to speculation about a potential injury or setback.
Manager John Schneider addressed the situation ahead of the Red Sox matchup, explaining that the decision was precautionary. Schneider said Giménez is "banged up," but remains available off the bench, according to Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider says he's giving a "banged up" Andres Gimenez a breather, explaining his absence from the lineup on Sunday and Monday.
— Arden Zwelling (@ArdenZwelling) April 27, 2026
Gimenez is available off the bench if needed.
Gimenez has been one of Toronto's strongest bats this season and has bounced back well after a down 2025 campaign in which he hit just .210. In the early part of 2026 he is batting .287 with 27 hits, three home runs and 16 RBIs. His approach at the plate has looked sharper, and he has provided some extra-base power for a Toronto team still dealing with injuries.
Over his career, Gimenez has established himself as a reliable middle infielder. He earned All-Star honors in 2022 and has won three Gold Glove awards (2022-2024) for his defensive work at second base.
It's unclear when Gimenez will be reinstated to the starting lineup. But in the meantime, the Blue Jays will open the series against the Red Sox on Monday, with first pitch scheduled for 7:07 p.m. ET.
Related: Blue Jays' New George Springer Update Before Red Sox Game
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This story was originally published April 27, 2026 at 4:09 PM.