Robert Francis: Everything you need to know

The Blue Jays placed Francis (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Wednesday. Francis will miss the entire 2026 season after the Blue Jays recently revealed that he would need reconstructive surgery on his right elbow, so his move to the 60-day IL was merely procedural. The transaction clears a spot on the 40-man roster for infielder Ben Cowles, whom the Blue Jays claimed off waivers from the Cubs.

Manager John Schneider revealed Tuesday that Francis is undergoing UCL reconstruction surgery on his right elbow and will miss the 2026 season, Mitch Bannon of The Athletic reports. Francis dealt with a right shoulder impingement during the 2025 season that landed him on the injured list in June. He was able to commence a throwing program in August after some prior setbacks and had managed to face hitters during live batting practice. However, with the right-hander set for Tommy John surgery, he may not pitch in a game for 12 to 18 months.

Francis (shoulder) threw a live batting practice session at the Blue Jays' spring training complex Monday, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports. Francis touched 93 miles per hour with his fastball during the session and will face hitters again Friday and he continues to get built back up. He's been sidelined mid-June with a right shoulder impingement, and while a return before the end of the season seems unlikely, Francis will hope to get some peace of mind health-wise heading into the offseason.