MINNEAPOLIS – The Toronto Blue Jays are expecting Randal Grichuk to miss three weeks with a Grade 1 sprain in his right knee, temporarily easing a roster riddle that will soon get more complicated.
Infielder Gift Ngoepe was recalled from triple-A Buffalo after the outfielder was placed on the disabled list Monday and his stay could very well be a short one with third baseman Josh Donaldson nearing a return from his shoulder troubles.
Minus Grichuk – just 7-for-66 this season after a 2-for-3 day in Sunday’s 7-2 win over Texas, during which he hurt his knee on an impressive but awkward diving catch – manager John Gibbons can run out Kevin Pillar, Teoscar Hernandez and the platoon of Curtis Granderson and Steve Pearce while still finding regular at-bats for Kendrys Morales.
Things will get a bit tighter when Donaldson returns, possibly at the end of this week in Tampa Bay, and his activation will likely send Yangervis Solarte to second base and leave Lourdes Gurriel Jr., pushing Aledmys Diaz for playing time at short.
That’s before accounting for a possible Devon Travis return and Grichuk’s eventual activation. But for now, Gibbons gets to scale back his juggling act, at least for a few days.
“You never want to see that happen but it will mean more playing time for other guys,” said Gibbons. “The reality is we’re trying our best to get everyone in there, get them involved but it’s hard to do. It’s a tough way to do it but it will alleviate some things a little bit.”
Grichuk began feeling discomfort in his knee after the game and when it didn’t ebb in the morning, he went for an MRI which revealed the damage. The return time is estimated at three weeks.
The Blue Jays could have recalled Travis, who was optioned to triple-A Buffalo, because the 10-day waiting period for demoted players is waived in the event of injury. But they want him to reset himself with the Bisons and they’re likely to need the roster spot once Donaldson is ready.
“Let him go down there and play a little bit,” Gibbons said of Travis. “There may be another move soon anyway. I don’t know what that would be. Could be in the near future.”
As for Donaldson, he did some game-simulation work in Florida with single-A Dunedin off Monday. He’s set to play third base in a rehab game Tuesday.
“Feeling much better,” said Gibbons. “No timetable yet. Just see how everything goes.”
Notes: John Gibbons confirmed that someone from Buffalo will start one of the games in Thursday’s doubleheader at Cleveland, but wouldn’t confirm if it’s Joe Biagini. The right-hander, brought up to pitch in the Blue Jays’ doubleheader April 17, is on turn. … Infielder Danny Espinosa exercised the May 1 out in his minor-league deal with the Blue Jays and became a free agent. With Diaz, Gurriel Jr., and Ngoepe up in the majors plus Travis and Richard Urena in the minors, there was no real path to the big-leagues for him.
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