ARLINGTON -- The Toronto Blue Jays have signed 35-year-old journeyman outfielder Dave Dellucci, who spent part of the 2009 season with the Cleveland Indians.

The Blue Jays will immediately send the one-time Orioles draft pick to AAA Las Vegas, manager Cito Gaston said.

"We need him to get at bats and go from there," Gaston said prior to Toronto's game in Texas on Wednesday. "We wanted another left handed hitter to help with (Lyle) Overbay and (Adam) Lind."

Having an additional bat from that side of the plate was the role the team had hoped rookie Travis Snider could have filled when he made the big club coming out of spring training. But now Snider is not expected to be in the lineup until July due to a back issue that has, in part, led to his struggles in recent weeks.

Snider -- who has been plagued with on-again, off-again back issues -- was sent to the minors three weeks ago before the Jays began interleague play.

In Vegas he did little before being placed on the 15-day disabled list, which elapsed Wednesday.

"He's had that trouble all year and we didn't want to put him in," said Gaston. "It is hard to explain it. We didn't even want him down (in the minors) so he wouldn't have (his back) dealing with the long bus road trips."

Toronto has won the first two games of the series with the Rangers, which concludes Thursday.