Key Jays swinging back into action
Rehabbing Donaldson, Travis on deck for DH duties with minor-league club
DUNEDIN, FLA.— John Gibbons promised to take a major-league-ish lineup to Fort Myers on Tuesday for a return engagement with the Red Sox.
(He said this as a lure for reporters disinclined to make the 180-kilometre trek each way.)
But not along for the long ride: Devon Travis and Josh Donaldson.
Which is actually the best Blue Jays news possible because both rehabbing players are scheduled to make their spring training debut with Toronto’s minor-league team at the Philly complex in Clearwater.
With Kendrys Morales also accompanying the infielders, it will be wallto-wall DH-ing as each will be thus accommodated at the plate.
For Travis, vigilantly strengthening his right knee in conditioning drills with a physiotherapist here for the past month, a taste of game action can’t come soon enough. The second baseman did some light sprints Monday and shagged balls in the outfield, but admitted he’s grown weary of gym exercises and solitary status. “Tired of it, tired of it.”
Travis is expected to resume his leadoff role in the batting order at some point, but it’s unknown whether he will be ready to play the field by opening day on April 3.
“It’s kind of hit and miss,” the manager said. “Some days he’s feeling better than others, but he’s moving in the right direction.’’
Opening day might be overly optimistic, however.
“He’s gonna have to get moving quick if he’s gonna do that because he needs some work,” said Gibbons. “I can’t eliminate that yet, but he’s cutting it close.”
There’s a bone bruise in that right knee, a consequence of off-season surgery to remove a small flap of cartilage. Travis has been snakebit by injuries since making his MLB debut with Toronto in April, 2015. He did hit .300 with 11 homers and 50 RBIs in regular-season games last year before being knocked out with the knee issue during the playoffs.
Donaldson, the 2015 American League MVP, injured his right calf running sprints on Feb. 17, but has been taking BP and began fielding ground balls last week.
For the rest of the team, Monday’s 4-3 win over Boston lifted Toronto’s Grapefruit League record to a dull 5-10. But Gibbons has largely been playing kids and hopefuls, while Jose Bautista is still off at the World Baseball Classic with his defending champion Dominican Republic squad.
Morales provided much of the offensive surge for the Jays, with a single in the fourth, Toronto’s first hit of the afternoon, and a solo home run in the fifth, his second of the spring. The Jays also got a strong effort from Darrell Ceciliani, with two singles and a climb-the-wall catch in right.
“He’s kind of a low-key guy,” said Gibbons of Ceciliani. “He really had a tremendous spring for us last year. Nothing really opened up for him. I do think maybe he gets a little bit lost in the shuffle. He’s just waiting for that break. And when that happens, you’ve got to take advantage of it.”
J.A. Happ made his third start of the spring and looked more comfortable than last time ’round, a game against Team Canada, showing better tempo where he’d felt slow between pitches a week ago.
“I felt confident out there. I felt a lot more like myself in the way I should feel when I’m out there, attacking hitters, and you know that’s where I want to be.”
He gave up one run on three hits in four innings of work, throwing 60 pitches.