Toronto Blue Jays reliever Erik Swanson away from team after 4-year-old son gets hit by car

Toronto Blue Jays reliever Erik Swanson "will be away from the team for a while" to be with his family after his 4-year-old son was hit by a car, manager John Schneider announced Tuesday.

Schneider said Toby Swanson was airlifted to the hospital after he was struck by a car Sunday in Clearwater, Florida, near the Blue Jays' Spring Training home in Dunedin. No more details were provided about the incident or Toby Swanson's injuries, but Schneider noted that the 4-year-old is on "the road to recovery."

“Thanks to the incredible work from Clearwater first responders, Toby is on the road to recovery and is surrounded by his family,” Schneider said in a statement obtained by MLB.com. “Our love, support and prayers are with Erik, Madison, Toby and the entire Swanson family. Out of respect for Erik and his family, we’re not going to comment further on this.”

Schneider said "family comes first" in the organization.

“As a dad, I have two boys who are 7 and 5, and it hits home,” Schneider said. “We’re going to continue to be there for them. Baseball is secondary when you’re talking about family and life. We’re going to support him. The guys have been absolutely phenomenal with him so far, and you can’t forget about players’ wives and significant others who have reached out as well. It’s been a rough couple of days, but it’s really, really nice to see the support for Erik.”

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Swanson was traded from the Seattle Mariners to the Blue Jays in November 2022. He appeared in 69 games last season, finishing with a 4-2 record, with a 2.97 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 66.2 innings pitched.

The Blue Jays have opened Spring Training 1-3.