Blue Jays: Donaldson, Tulowitzki inch closer with rehab appearances
BALTIMORE— Injured Blue Jay Josh Donaldson made his first rehab appearance on Monday night in Dunedin, Fla., while Troy Tulowitzki returned to action in the same game.
It’s been a month since either the third baseman, recovering from a calf injury, or the shortstop, out with a hamstring injury, has played for the Jays.
Donaldson struck out twice and was hit by a pitch Monday night before leaving the game, as planned, between the Class-A Blue Jays and Ford Myers of the Florida State League.
Tulowitzki went 0-for-2 with a walk. He has played three times for Dunedin this month, going 3-for-8 in all with two RBIs.
The return date for the left side of the Blue Jays infield remains unclear.
Meanwhile, before an off-day in the Jays schedule — ahead of a twogame series against the Brewers in Milwaukee on Tuesday — pitching coach Pete Walker shed some light on the status of starter Aaron Sanchez, placed on the 10-day disabled list for the third time with a finger injury.
Walker hopes having Sanchez take time off now will help in the long run.
“Every inning it seemed to be an issue and it wasn’t getting better, so I think it was the smart decision right now, to hold him off until that thing is cleared up,” said Walker.
The trouble spot is on the tip of Sanchez’s right middle finger, different from where the pitcher had a piece of nail cut off lengthwise in April, a procedure aimed at nipping a nagging blister problem in the bud.
Walker said the nail is fine. Now it’s just a matter of waiting for the new spot to heal.
“We want Aaron out there, but also want him feeling good so he can effectively pitch to his ability, which he really hasn’t been able to do.”
As for the Jays’ other injured starters:
Francisco Liriano (left shoulder inflammation) “feels very close to normal” after a side session last week in Atlanta and was throwing on flat ground in Baltimore on Sunday, Walker said. The team plans to have him throw in a simulated game on Tuesday. If all goes well after 45 to 50 pitches, he’ll make a rehab start, maybe this coming weekend.
J.A. Happ (left shoulder inflammation) threw 48 pitches in a simulated game in Florida on Saturday, using all his pitches. “He felt very good, too,” Walker said, adding Happ reached 94 miles per hour and is also expected to make a rehab start in Dunedin soon.