The Sports Xchange
MLB Team Report – Toronto Blue Jays – INSIDE PITCH
The Blue Jays have missed Jose Reyes.
The shortstop was one of the key players obtained in offseason deals that were supposed to transform the Blue Jays into contenders.
But he has not played since April 12 when he suffered a severely sprained left ankle on an awkward slide into second base at Kansas City.
Even with Reyes starting out spectacularly, the Blue Jays struggled. But they were even worse without him.
Now he appears to be about two weeks away from returning. He was pleased with his workout at U.S. Cellular Field on Tuesday that included running the bases and left for Florida on Wednesday.
He’ll continue his training program at the team’s minor-league complex before playing in simulated games Friday and Saturday.
“After that if I feel good, we decide what we’re going to do next,” Reyes said.
He could start his minor-league rehabilitation assignment early next week.
“I don’t think (a two-week timetable for his return) is unrealistic,” manager John Gibbons said. “He’s moving around good, but he still hasn’t played in a game and he’s not as quick to first. We haven’t seen him running all out and hit a bag wrong and things like that. It could be sooner but two weeks doesn’t seem too long for me. We’ve got to ease him into it, too, it’s not like he’s going to go out there and play nine innings.”
“Who knows? Five, six, two games, it depends how I’m feeling,” Reyes said. “If I feel it’s where it needs to be, I don’t want to take that long because I need to be here, not down there. When I start to feel like my swing is good enough to come up, I’ll come up.”
Reyes has played 10 games this season and is batting .395 with one homer, five RBIs, five stolen bases and a .465 on-base percentage.
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MLB Team Report – Toronto Blue Jays – NOTES, QUOTES
RECORD: 28-36
STREAK: Won one
PAST 10 GAMES: 5-5
NEXT: Blue Jays (Esmil Rogers, 1-2, 3.60) at White Sox (Chris Sale, 5-4, 2.68)
PLAYER NOTES:
–RHP Chien-Ming Wang gave up five runs in his first major league start of the season after signing a contract with the Blue Jays prior to Tuesday night’s game against the White Sox in Chicago. Wang allowed 10 hits but lasted 7 1/3 innings, settling down after Conor Gillaspie hit a three-run homer to right in a four-run fourth inning. Jays manager Jay Gibbons said Wang earned another start for the pitching-depleted Blue Jays, whose starters are a combined 13-24 with a 5.33 EA thus far.
–SS Jose Reyes will leave for the Blue Jays’ facility in Florida on Wednesday in preparation for a rehab stint that will start with simulated games and transition into actual minor league games for an unspecified amount of time. Reyes is on the disabled list because of a severely sprained left ankle he injured while sliding on April 12 in Kansas City. Reyes was originally slated to be out three months, with a return date around the All-Star break, but he might be ahead of schedule depending on how the rehab assignment goes.
–IF Andy Laroche was designated for assignment Tuesday by the Blue Jays to make room on the roster for RHP Chien-Ming Wang, who was officially signed to a contract before Tuesday’s game and made the start against the White Sox at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago. Laroche played one game for Toronto, going 0-for-4 with one strikeout.
–C Henry Blanco was released by the Blue Jays on Tuesday. Blanco was designated for assignment on June 7 by the Jays and didn’t get into a game during his short stint with the team.
–1B/DH Edwin Encarnacion pushed his hitting streak to eight straight games on Tuesday night by going 2-for-4 with a two-run homer for the Blue Jays in a 7-5 victory against the White Sox in Chicago. He is hitting .294 (10-for-34) during the streak.
–1B/DH Adam Lind went 3-for-5 with a double to up his season average to .344 and push his hitting streak to six games. Lind, who hits left-handed, also got a single off White Sox LHP Matt Thornton in the eighth, which improved his average this season against left-handed pitching to .500 (11-for-22). Lind has also hit safely in 14 of his last 15 games.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “We have another tough game (Wednesday). Their ace (Chris Sale) is on the mound, so we know what we’re in for.” — Adam Lind, who had three hits Tuesday night.
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MLB Team Report – Toronto Blue Jays – ROSTER REPORT
MEDICAL WATCH:
–RHP Ramon Ortiz (strained right elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list June 4. An MRI on June 4 showed no tear or injury to the ligament.
–3B Brett Lawrie (sprained left ankle) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 28. As of June 9, he was not progressing as well as expected and was wearing a walking boot.
–RHP Brandon Morrow (right forearm strain) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 29. An MRI showed no structural damage. He threw a bullpen session in Chicago in mid-June before going to Florida, where he will begin a minor league rehabilitation assignment. He will probably have two or three starts before rejoining Toronto.
–LHP J.A. Happ (sprained right knee, skull fracture, lacerated left ear) went on the 15-day disabled list May 8, and he was transferred to the 60-day DL on May 24. Tests indicated he did not sustain a concussion after taking a line drive to the head May 7.
–RHP Sergio Santos (triceps strain, bone chips in elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list April 15. He was transferred to the 60-day disabled list May 19. He had successful surgery May 16 to remove bone chips and shave bone spurs. He is expected to be out until late June.
–SS Jose Reyes (severe left ankle sprain) went on the 15-day disabled list April 13, and he was transferred to the 60-day disabled list on April 23. He will begin playing in simulated games in Florida in mid-June before beginning a rehab assignment. He could rejoin Toronto at the end of June.
–RHP Kyle Drabek (Tommy John surgery in June 2012) went on the 60-day disabled list Feb. 27. He isn’t expected to return before midseason.
–RHP Drew Hutchison (Tommy John surgery in August 2012) went on the 60-day disabled list March 22. He isn’t expected to return until late in the season.
–LHP Luis Perez (Tommy John surgery in July 2012) went on the 60-day disabled list Feb. 23. He probably won’t be available until late in the season. He began a rehab assignment with Class A Dunedin on June 10.
ROTATION:
RHP R.A. Dickey
LHP Mark Buehrle
RHP Josh Johnson
RHP Esmil Rogers
RHP Chien-Ming Wang
BULLPEN:
RHP Casey Janssen (closer)
LHP Brett Cecil
RHP Steve Delabar
LHP Aaron Loup
LHP Juan Perez
RHP Neil Wagner
RHP Dustin McGowan
LHP Darren Oliver
CATCHERS:
J.P. Arencibia
Josh Thole
INFIELDERS:
1B Edwin Encarnacion
2B Emilio Bonifacio
SS Munenori Kawasaki
3B Maicer Izturis
INF Adam Lind
INF Mark DeRosa
OUTFIELDERS:
LF Melky Cabrera
CF Colby Rasmus
RF Jose Bautista
OF Rajai Davis
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