Jays Notebook: Achy Achilles puts Carrera on the bench

Blue Jays outfielder Ezequiel Carrera, the club’s starting right fielder with Jose Bautista on the disabled list, was relegated to the bench on Wednesday because his Achilles tendon was “barking,” according to manager John Gibbons.

Gibbons said Carrera suffered the injury when he jammed his foot on a base, presumably in the first inning when he tried to leg out an infield single.

He was ultimately ruled out at first following a replay review.

In Carrera’s place, recent minorleague call-up Darrell Ceciliani made his first start for the Jays on Wednesday, which happened to be the California native’s 26th birthday. TRAVIS LEADS OFF: With Carrera out of the lineup, Devon Travis, who entered Wednesday’s game riding an eight-game hit streak, made his first start in the leadoff spot this season.

The 25-year-old, who is 14-for-31 with five doubles and two homers on his current hitting streak, started 22 games in the leadoff spot last season, where he hit .202 — by far his lowest total of any batting-order position.

Travis becomes the Jays’ fifth leadoff hitter this season. ESTRADA’S BACK OK: Marco Estrada set a major-league record on Tuesday night with his 11th consecutive start of at least six innings and five or fewer hits allowed.

But he also was forced to make an early exit when his back “flared up” on him. He had re-aggravated the nagging injury by taking swings in an inter-league game last week. But Gibbons said the injury was not a major concern and would not interfere with his next scheduled start on Monday in Colorado, another inter-league game. Gibbons did say, however, he would hope Estrada would just keep his bat on his shoulder this time.

“Especially when there’s not much coming out of him when he’s swinging.”

Estrada, who spent the first seven seasons of his career in the National League, is a career .148 hitter. Brendan Kennedy