TORONTO – All off-season, the Toronto Blue Jays considered how the physical toll of last year’s run to the World Series might impact them this year and sought ways to counter any possible effects. They talked to people around the league in search of advice. They tweaked how certain players were built up during spring training to account for the extra work. 

Yet Saturday, as Nathan Lukes became the 12th player placed on the injured list during a roster-churning start to the year, manager John Schneider conceded that he’d be “lying if I said I hadn't thought about” whether last fall had contributed in some way.

“But then looking at a broken toe, probably not; a broken thumb, probably not; a rolled ankle on the bases, probably not,” he continued. “When you're talking about some soft-tissue stuff, you're like, OK, maybe. … So I think a little bit coincidence, but I........

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