Toronto Blue Jays’ Daulton Varsho leaves game early with heat-related illness

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Daulton Varsho was forced to leave Wednesday afternoon’s game against the Baltimore Orioles due to symptoms of heat illness, the team officially announced.

Batting sixth and starting in center field, Varsho was 0-for-2 with a walk, a strikeout and a run before being relieved in the seventh inning by rookie Steward Berroa.

The Blue Jays trailed 9-4 when Varsho exited the game, and they lost 10-4. As a result, the Orioles won the division series 3-1.

Varsho is now hitting .199 with 13 home runs, 46 RBI, nine stolen bases and a .681 OPS on the season. He entered Wednesday with a 3.5 WAR, and led the American League with a 2.3 defensive WAR.

Since joining the Blue Jays in the 2023 offseason, Varsho has been remarkably available, missing just four games last season and has missed just eight games so far in 2024.

Varsho’s consistent presence dates back to his time with the Arizona Diamondbacks, when he appeared in 151 of 162 games in 2022. Only two MLB outfielders have more than Varsho’s 410 games played over the past three years: Juan Soto and Ian Happ.

It remains to be seen whether Varsho will have to take additional days off after missing Wednesday’s game, or whether he will be ready to start the Blue Jays’ road game against the New York Yankees on Friday.

It was 94 degrees at Camden Yards on Wednesday. The forecast is 88 degrees and rain at Yankee Stadium on Friday.

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