Blue Jays’ Hernández placed on injured list

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Teoscar Hernández was placed on the 10-day injured list Thursday with a left oblique strain.

Hernández was pulled from Wednesday’s 6-4 win over the Yankees with left side discomfort, and an MRI revealed the strain.

“You never know with obliques but I don’t think it’s as bad as we thought it would be,” manager Charlie Montoyo said before the Blue Jays concluded a four-game series at Yankee Stadium.

The 29-year-old was a firsttime All-Star in 2021, when he hit .296 with 32 homers, 116 RBIs and an .870 OPS. He’s finished in the top 20 of AL MVP voting each of the past two seasons and is 6 for 19 with one homer and three RBIs in the first week of the season.

In the pandemic 2020 season, Hernández missed 10 games with an oblique injury in September.

“We’re going to be careful,” Montoyo said. “He’s done it before. He knows what it feels like. So whenever he feels ready.” MLB SALARIES UP>> The average salary in the major leagues rebounded to $4.4 million on opening day, boosted by a frenzy of free agent signings before and after the 99-day lockout, according to a study of baseball contracts by The AP.

Mets pitcher Max Scherzer set a season record at $43.3 million, topping the previous mark set last year by Dodgers pitcher Trevor Bauer at $38 million.

The average of $4,414,184 was up 5.9% from the $4,167,164 at the start of last season and just below the record of $4,451,508 set in 2017, before the salary slide that angered players during the labor contract that expired last December. RANGERS’ SANTANA ON COVID-19 LIST>> Texas Rangers reliever Dennis Santana was placed on the COVID-19 injured list after he arrived at the ballpark with symptoms before Thursday night’s game, and tested to determine if he was positive.