Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Matt Shoemaker will miss the remainder of the 2019 season with a torn ACL in his left knee, the team announced. Shoemaker suffered the injury during a rundown on Saturday against the Oakland Athletics. He was placed on the 10-day injured list Sunday with what was first diagnosed as a left knee sprain. The 32-year-old, whose unfortunate injury history includes a skull fracture and accompanying hematoma after taking a line drive to the head in 2016, was in tears after learning of the ACL tear, according to Sportsnet's Hazel Mae. "I know I seem pretty upset right now, which I am, but I’ve had bumps in the road before and I’m just going to fight through it," Shoemaker said, according to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet. "That’s just who I am. It’s just really upsetting right now." Shoemaker will visit with a doctor in Toronto to figure out his next steps. "No, we don't know what we're going to do. We just found out. He had his MRI today and we just found out," Blue Jays manager Charlie Montoyo said of the team's next direction, according to Sportsnet. "Bad news, bad news. He was one of the best pitchers in baseball ... tough loss for us." Shoemaker was signed to a one-year deal in December. He was off to a terrific start for the Blue Jays, authoring a 3-0 record with a 1.57 ERA in 28 2/3 innings.<doc-sep>Ben Margot/Associated Press Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Matt Shoemaker is out for the rest of the 2019 season after being diagnosed with a torn ACL, according to Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca. The injury came during Saturday's game against the Oakland Athletics when he was assisting in a rundown. Shoemaker was already placed on the injured list Sunday with what was initially called a left knee sprain by the team. It turns out the situation is worse than initially feared, adding to an already unlucky run of injuries for the pitcher. The 32-year-old was limited to just 31 innings across seven starts last season because of forearm surgery. After only making 14 starts in 2017, he was non-tendered by the Angels after last season. In his first five years in the majors, Shoemaker was never able to top 160 innings in a season. Toronto banked on him bouncing back, and he showcased his skill to start the year, producing a 1.57 ERA in five starts to give him a 3-0 record. He tallied three shutout innings on Saturday before coming out of the game with his injury. Unfortunately, his season will once again come to an end much earlier than he would have hoped. Video Play Button Videos you might like While Shoemaker is under team control through the 2020 season, the latest issue creates uncertainty for his future with the Blue Jays.<doc-sep>","providerName":"Twitter","providerUrl":"https://twitter.com","type":"rich","width":550,"__typename":"ExternalEmbedContent"},"$ROOT_QUERY.getForgeContentBySlug({\"locale\":\"en-us\",\"slug\":\"matt-shoemaker-injured-list-urena-recalled\",\"type\":\"story\"}).parts.2":{"data":{"type":"id","generated":true,"id":"$ROOT_QUERY.getForgeContentBySlug({\"locale\":\"en-us\",\"slug\":\"matt-shoemaker-injured-list-urena-recalled\",\"type\":\"story\"}).parts.2.data","typename":"ExternalEmbedContent"},"type":"oembed","__typename":"ExternalEmbed"},"$ROOT_QUERY.getForgeContentBySlug({\"locale\":\"en-us\",\"slug\":\"matt-shoemaker-injured-list-urena-recalled\",\"type\":\"story\"}).parts.3":{"content":"“You can’t put words to it,” Shoemaker said, as he fought tears. “\\[I’m\\] extremely frustrated, but at the same time I just have to stay positive. I know I’m really upset right now, I just got the news. But stay positive, keep fighting, get this thing right and be back when it’s ready to go. \"The biggest thing is that it’s frustrating. I can deal with this stuff. I know I seem pretty upset right now, which I am. But I’ve had bumps in the road before and I’m just going to fight through it. That’s just who I am. It’s just really upsetting right now.” The somber clubhouse confirmed Shoemaker’s remark. “He was one of the best pitchers in baseball in the first month,” Toronto manager Charlie Montoyo said. “I feel bad for all of us, but of course for him, because he was doing so great.” Right-hander Aaron Sanchez said bravely, “It’s next man up. We’ll see who’s ready to come up and take that role. Those will be some big shoes to fill, of course.”","type":"markdown","__typename":"Markdown"},"$ROOT_QUERY.getForgeContentBySlug({\"locale\":\"en-us\",\"slug\":\"matt-shoemaker-injured-list-urena-recalled\",\"type\":\"story\"}).parts.4.data":{"html":"<doc-sep>OAKLAND, CA - APRIL 20: Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Matt Shoemaker (34) gets looked at after a rundown play with Oakland Athletics third baseman Matt Chapman (26) on 1st base during the game between the Toronto Blue Jays and the Oakland Athletics on Saturday, April 20, 2019 at O.co Coliseum in Oakland, California. (Photo by Douglas Stringer/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) MLB Power Rankings: Making sense of the first three weeks MLB Power Rankings: Making sense of the first three weeks by David Hill Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher started off 2019 as one of the league’s best pitchers as well as one of the most underrated off-season signings. Now, his 2019 is over. When Matt Shoemaker was signed by the Toronto Blue Jays, to many, it could have been considered a head-scratcher. They let their previous staff ace in Marco Estrada walk in free agency, and Shoemaker was coming off of three-consecutive injury-plagued seasons. Shoemaker had not had a complete season since 2015. The start of 2019 felt different. He proved he could still pitch at the level he did during his rookie season in 2014. In 28.2 innings pitched, Shoemaker had a 3-0 record, a 1.57 ERA, 24 strikeouts and a WHIP below 0.9. He was pitching well and he was helping his Blue Jays teammates stay afloat in a very up-for-grabs division at the moment. Then, in a flash, the air was let out of the room. While doing nothing more than helping his team in a rundown, and getting the tag for the out, Shoemaker was seen clutching his knee at play’s conclusion: Replay on what happened: Appears to be grabbing his knee. pic.twitter.com/E6SkfHK5b9 — Jessica Kleinschmidt (@KleinschmidtJD) April 20, 2019 The Blue Jays would end up winning this game, but losing Shoemaker drained all energy for celebration. When the news was released Sunday, many members of the Blue Jays expressed their support for Shoemaker, like Marcus Stroman: Man, my heart is so heavy for my brother @MattShoe52! Prayers for a healthy recovery that shatters timetables! @BlueJays — Marcus Stroman (@MStrooo6) April 22, 2019 Later on in the evening, after the news had broke, Shoemaker shared a personal message to his followers on his Twitter: Stay strong and keep fighting. pic.twitter.com/gDjV0dUDP8 — Matt Shoemaker (@MattShoe52) April 22, 2019 This is more than just disheartening for Shoemaker and his team. This is heartbreak for fans of Shoemaker and fans who crave a great comeback story. Shoemaker’s start would have easily put him on pace for a finalist for Comeback Player of the Year. It would have been a worthwhile accomplishment on what has been a long, winding road for the Blue Jays’ starter. This would have proven that Shoemaker can still pitch at the level he did his first two seasons. Now, all of that is lost. He is only on a one-year contract, so his future is certainly in jeopardy. If not a sign of good faith, perhaps the Toronto Blue Jays will consider the product that was placed fourth in his five starts, and extend him an invitation for next season.<doc-sep>
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Matt Shoemaker had to choke back tears after tests revealed a torn ACL in his left knee Sunday, cutting short yet another promising season for the Toronto Blue Jays' oft-injured right-hander. Standing in the clubhouse following a 5-4 win over the Oakland Athletics on Sunday, Shoemaker's voice quivered and he paused a few times while discussing the injury. At one point he was asked if he needed time to compose himself but declined. "You can't put words to it,'' Shoemaker said. "Extremely frustrated but at the same time I just have to stay positive. I know I'm really upset right now, I just got the news. But stay positive, keep fighting, get this thing right and be back when it's ready to go.'' Shoemaker was hurt at the end of a rundown Saturday, and Toronto announced the diagnosis and placed him on the 10-day injured list a day later. He will undergo surgery but no date has been set. The 32-year-old is 3-0 with a 1.57 ERA in five starts after signing a $3.5 million, one-year deal with Toronto in December. He was limited to seven starts last year with the Los Angeles Angels because of a strained right forearm. In 2016, he sustained a skull fracture when he was hit in the head by a line drive, and he has had lingering forearm trouble for a while. "He was one of the best pitchers in baseball for the first month,'' manager Charlie Montoyo said. "I feel bad for him. I feel bad for all of us, worse for him because he was doing so great.'' Shoemaker's latest injury occurred while he was chasing Oakland's Matt Chapman in the third inning. Shoemaker applied the tag and spun around to avoid contact. The injury happened as he twirled. Shoemaker hopped around before falling to the ground as a team trainer rushed out. He was down for several moments and sat with his head in his hands before being helped to his feet and off the field. "I was really hoping for a knee sprain,'' Shoemaker said. "I knew what I felt. It didn't feel right, but I was just hoping for a knee sprain.'' Blue Jays first baseman Justin Smoak called it a big loss for a team that just completed a 6-1 road trip. "He's been awesome and he's pitched well so far,'' Smoak said. "It's a freaky thing. It's tough for him, tough for us.'' Before Sunday's game, Shoemaker walked slowly through the clubhouse with the aid of a single crutch. He didn't need it when talking to reporters but had a noticeable limp. Although it's admittedly difficult, Shoemaker said the key to his recovery will be keeping an optimistic outlook. "The biggest thing is that it's frustrating,'' Shoemaker said. "I can deal with this stuff. I know I seem pretty upset right now, which I am. But I've had bumps in the road before and I'm just going to fight through it. That's just who I am. It's just really upsetting right now." Infielder Richard Urena was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo.