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Addison Barger of Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays sent down promising rookie outfielder Yohendrick Pinango to make room on the 26-man roster for Addison Barger.

The Blue Jays announced the roster move ahead of Saturday’s game against the Los Angeles Angels. With Barger being back on the 26-man roster, the team was forced to make a tough decision about who they would send down to the minors to put Barger back on the active roster. In the end, the team decided to go with Pinango as the odd-man out, as he has options remaining.

“ROSTER MOVES: INF/OF Addison Barger reinstated from the 10-day IL and will be active today OF Yohendrick Piñango optioned to Triple-A,” the team announced on social media.

The Blue Jays Make Controversial Decision to Send Down Promising Rookie

The decision to send down Pinango is no doubt a controversial one.

The 24-year-old Venezuela native has been terrific for the Blue Jays since being called up from Triple-A Buffalo, as he’s hit .423 with a .906 OPS in 10 games for the big-league team. For a squad that is in desperate need of offense right now, it’s a questionable move to send Pinango down when he has been performing so well at the big-league level.

That being said, he had options remaining, so it was easier for the Blue Jays to send him down rather than risk losing infielder Lenyn Sosa on waivers. Sosa, who was acquired from the Chicago White Sox in a trade last year, has not hit well for the Blue Jays since he was picked up by them. But he did hit 22 home runs for the White Sox last year, and since he can’t be sent down to the minor leagues, the team decided to hold onto him instead of risking losing him to another team.

The other option the Blue Jays had was to send down Davis Schneider, who has also struggled this year with a .127 average and .551 OPS. But Schneider was a big part of the Blue Jays last year when they went to the World Series, and he’s a valued member of the clubhouse. Although he also had minor-league options remaining, the Blue Jays decided to keep him on the roster and send down Pinango instead, though Schneider’s leash may be short if he continues to struggle.

Addison Barger’s Return to the Blue Jays is Exciting

Although the decision to send down Pinango is one that some fans do not agree with, there is no doubt an excitement in the air to see Barger return to the Blue Jays after missing the last month with an ankle sprain.

Barger was one of the key pieces in the Blue Jays’ lineup as they made a World Series run last year, ultimately falling in seven games to the Los Angeles Dodgers. He has huge power in his bat, he has a cannon arm in the outfield, and he’s a great athlete overall, making him someone who is going to be a staple of the Blue Jays’ lineup for many years to come.

Now that he’s healthy again, the Blue Jays will surely enjoy having Barger’s bat in the lineup and his glove in the outfield and at third base, as he plays both positions. But losing Pinango hurts, as he was one of the best hitters on the Blue Jays this year. If Schneider and Sosa continue to struggle, don’t be completely surprised if the team decides to make a switch in the near future.