JAYS’ YATES FACING SEASON-ENDING ELBOW SURGERY

Toronto Blue Jays reliever Kirby Yates is expected to have season-ending surgery on his right elbow, General Manager Ross Atkins said Tuesday.

The Blue Jays also reported two other injuries: Outfielder George Springer will miss the next four or five days because of a strained oblique muscle and lefthander Robbie Ray will skip at least one spring training start after slipping on a staircase and bruising his elbow.

Yates was expected to be Toronto's closer after signing a $5.5 million, one-year deal in the offseason. On Monday, the team said Yates would miss several weeks because of a strained muscle in his forearm.

Yates last pitched Saturday against Philadelphia, striking out two in one scoreless inning. It was his second outing of the spring and his first since March 11.

The 33-year-old Yates was an All-Star with the Padres in 2019, when he posted a 1.19 ERA and led the NL with 41 saves. He pitched in six games for the Padres last season and had a 12.46 ERA before surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow.

Springer signed a $150 million, six-year deal in the offseason. The 2017 World Series MVP with Houston, he was scratched from a game on March 9 because of tightness in his abdominal muscles.

Springer had an MRI after experiencing persistent tightness, but Atkins said Toronto's prime acquisition still feels good and isn't expected to be out of action for long.

“The MRI revealed an injury that he is able to play baseball with,” Atkins said.

Atkins said Ray was carrying his child down the stairs at his rental home when he slipped and fell. Ray's child was uninjured in the fall, Atkins said.

“Part of the injury was making sure that that was the priority,” Atkins said.

Twins moves

The Twins optioned prized prospect Alex Kirilloff to their alternate training site, leaving a wide-open competition for playing time in left field while giving the 2016 first-round draft pick more time to develop.

Jake Cave, Kyle Garlick and Brent Rooker are the primary candidates at that position, vacated when Eddie Rosario was not tendered a contract during the offseason. Luis Arraez ,anatural infielder who has moved into a super-sub role this year, has also been in the mix in left field.

Excluding Kirilloff from the major league roster to start the season will of course allow the Twins to keep his service time clock from running. Twins President of Baseball Operations Derek Falvey told reporters on Sunday that service time wouldn't factor into the decisions about the roster.

Kirilloff has just four hits in 31 at-bats with one home run and eight strikeouts in spring training exhibitions, which didn't help his cause to make the team out of camp.

Notable

D-backs RHP Zac Gallen has a hairline fracture in his right forearm, casting more doubt on his ability to open the season on the active roster.

• Brewers reliever Josh Hader expects to remain more of a traditional ninthinning closer this season after occasionally working multiple innings earlier in his career.

• Cubs manager David Ross says RHP Kyle Hendricks will start the season opener against Pittsburgh on April 1 at Wrigley Field.

• Rockies LHP Kyle Freeland left in the third inning against Oakland after straining his pitching shoulder.

• Rangers DH Khris Davis strained his left quad and could start the season on the injured list.