For more than 20 years, Dr. Jason Conrad Smith has cared for patients at SHN where he serves as a leading orthopaedic surgeon. For the past 18 years, he’s also worked on one of Canada’s biggest stages—as Consulting Orthopaedic Surgeon for the Toronto Blue Jays.

As the team battles through the playoffs, Dr. Smith is focused on keeping players healthy and ready to perform at their best.

“Every one of them is beaten up,” he says. “These guys are worn out, but they’re competitors. They fight through it.”

Playoff baseball brings a unique kind of strain. “It’s not just the number of innings,” he explains. “It’s the pressure. When you’re pitching in the ninth inning, two strikes, the crowd roaring—it puts extra stress on the body. Those moments can double or triple the physical toll.”

To manage that stress, Dr. Smith and his team monitor players’ daily recovery. “When they come into the stadium, we track heart rate, jump testing, and other metrics,” he says. “We adjust their workouts based on how their bodies are responding. Competing when you’re tired is when injuries happen.”

He says the same principles apply to anyone who’s active or trying to stay fit:

1. Don’t train tired. Listen to your body when it needs rest.
2. Adjust your intensity. Every day doesn’t have to be full speed.
3. Pay attention to recovery. Sleep, stress, and energy all affect how your body performs.

Among baseball players, elbow and shoulder injuries are the most common—especially for pitchers, who repeat the same high-stress motions hundreds of times a game. “About half of major league pitchers will need that ligament in their elbow reconstructed at some point,” he notes.

Dr. Smith says his work with the Blue Jays keeps him on the cutting edge of sports medicine. “You have to know the latest science and techniques,” he says. “It’s rewarding to bring that knowledge back to my patients here in Scarborough who may not have the same access to high-performance care.”

And as for the Jays’ playoff chances? “The team has the talent,” he smiles. “Anybody who bets against the Blue Jays is crazy.”

Catch Dr. Jason Smith in the Media
• Listen: Interview with Ben Mulroney on AM640
• Watch: Global News – October 16, 5:00–6:30 PM