Nathan Lukes Fantasy Stats

Nathan Lukes (hamstring) has resumed hitting in the batting cages. The 31-year-old has been in Dunedin at the Toronto Blue Jays' training complex and had a successful session in the batting cage on Friday. This is a significant step forward as he continues to work his way back from a hamstring injury sustained in late April. While it's encouraging progress, he still has more to complete, including defensive drills, running and sprinting, and pivoting along the basepaths. It's unclear when he will return, but his progress is an encouraging sign that he's on the right track.

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes (hamstring) was placed on the 10-Day Injured List on Saturday with a left hamstring strain. The 31-year-old injured himself while stretching out a double in Friday's game against the Cleveland Guardians, resulting in him exiting early from the contest. He underwent an MRI, and the strain was revealed, meaning he will miss at least the next ten days of action. It's an unfortunate development, as he has recorded eleven hits over his last seven games, all while driving in six runs. This could open the door for Myles Straw to get more playing time, though he should only be an option in the deepest of leagues.

The Athletic's Mitch Bannon writes that Toronto Blue Jays outfielders Nathan Lukes and Davis Schneider will likely form a platoon in left field in 2026. Lukes, who hits from the left side, will be on the strong side of the platoon. The 31-year-old veteran has handled right-handers pretty well since the start of the 2023 season, slashing .266/.330/.421 with all 13 of his home runs against them. Lukes was hard to strike out, but he also had a ground-ball rate of over 45%, so he probably won't provide a ton of pop, especially in a platoon. Schneider, 27, hits from the right side, but he was actually better against right-handed pitchers last year while slashing .234/.361/.436 overall with a .797 OPS, 11 home runs, and 31 RBI in 82 regular-season games played. He has a limited skill set and is mostly useful to the Blue Jays for his defensive versatility. Neither Lukes nor Schneider should be rostered in shallow mixed leagues.

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes (knee) fouled a ball off his right kneecap in the Game 1 loss to the Seattle Mariners in the American League Championship Series on Sunday, but he is back in the lineup for Game 2 in Toronto on Monday, according to Blake Murphy. X-rays and a CT scan on Lukes' knee came back negative for a fracture, although his knee was pretty swollen. His injury is being called a knee contusion, and he's starting in right field and batting second on Monday against Mariners right-hander Logan Gilbert. The 31-year-old will hope to keep things going at the plate despite his knee injury, as he comes into Monday's game hitting .308 (4-for-13) with two doubles and five RBI in his first five playoff games. Lukes has never faced Gilbert in his career.

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes isn't part of the starting nine for Game 2 of the ALDS against the New York Yankees on Sunday. The lefty-swinging Lukes will sit with southpaw Max Fried on the mound, leaving right field to No. 9 hitter Myles Straw. Lukes helped lead the Blue Jays to a 10-1 blowout on Saturday with a 2-for-5, three-RBI showing, but he only picked up 53 plate appearances against lefties during the regular season. They held him to a .238/.340/.357 line with no home runs. The righty-hitting Straw put up a similar .271/.322/.361 line with one HR in 146 trips to the plate versus southpaws.

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes (neck) has been scratched from the starting lineup ahead of Tuesday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals. The severity of the issue is unknown, but Lukes has been pulled from the lineup due to neck discomfort. For now, fantasy managers should consider Lukes as day-to-day until more information is revealed. The Jays will go with Alan Roden, Jonatan Clase, and Myles Straw in the outfield for Tuesday's contest. Straw figures to gain the most playing time if Lukes is forced to miss more games.

Toronto Blue Jays outfielders Daulton Varsho and Nathan Lukes, as well as catcher Alejandro Kirk, are not in Sunday's lineup when they conclude a series against the Tampa Bay Rays. Varsho has started each of their previous eight contests. During this stretch, he has held a .152/.147/.455 slash line with two doubles, one triple, and two long balls. Lukes has started each of their past nine games, primarily in left field and has held a .231/.333/.462 line during this stretch. Kirk has been Toronto's primary backstop through the opening two months of the season. He will get a routine maintenance day as he has started in each of the past two games. This afternoon, the Blue Jays are worth a look in DFS, facing Tampa Bay right-hander Ryan Pepiot, who enters this game holding a 3.99 ERA.

The Toronto Blue Jays have reinstated outfielder Nathan Lukes from the paternity list. The team noted the outfielder will be active during their contest on Friday evening against the Seattle Mariners. Through the first 12 games of the season, Lukes has posted a modest .167/.310/.208 slash line with one double and a 4:4 BB:K. During this stretch, Lukes has only started in eight of these games. Under the hood, the 30-year-old has generated a .339 xwOBA with a .280 xBA, which suggests he should see some positive regression when he returns to action. Fantasy managers should monitor the Toronto starting nine leading up to Friday's game. If he gets the starting nod, he will face Seattle right-hander Bryan Woo, who enters this game with a strong 2.84 ERA.

Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes will make his first start of the season on Friday against the visiting Baltimore Orioles and right-hander Charlie Morton at Rogers Centre. Lukes will be in center field and will bat eighth in the lineup with Ernie Clement starting on the bench. George Springer, who started in center field in the Opening Day loss, will shift to right field in this one. With Daulton Varsho (shoulder) starting the season on the injured list, the 30-year-old Lukes is expected to see plenty of playing time in center field against right-handed pitchers. In his second MLB season in 2024, he saw action in only 22 games and hit .303/.371/.447 with a homer, 10 RBI, one steal and 13 runs scored for the Jays. There isn't much pop in his bat, though, and Luke won't have much DFS appeal in his first 2025 start while batting out of the eight-hole in Toronto.