TORONTO – The Toronto Blue Jays kept Devon Travis active for Sunday’s Game 3 of the American League Division Series against the Texas Rangers after his right knee improved to the point he could serve as an emergency replacement if needed.
Manager John Gibbons said before the game that if the second baseman didn’t respond to treatment the team would substitute him out for Ryan Goins, a move that makes Travis ineligible for the American League Championship Series, should they advance.
If Travis was unavailable, the Blue Jays would be without a backup infielder, the situation they were in during Friday’s Game 2 at Texas. Darwin Barney, who started in Travis’s place, was hit by a Yu Darvish pitch in the ribs and had he needed to come out, Russell Martin would have moved into the infield.
They didn’t want to be similarly exposed Sunday, but Travis felt well enough to jump in if needed.
“We can’t remain short-handed,” Gibbons said before the final determination was made. “But he feels better today. … Hopefully it doesn’t drag out much longer, that’s for sure.”
Meanwhile, Gibbons said left-hander Francisco Liriano “didn’t feel particularly great today so he went home.”
Liriano suffered a concussion Friday when a Carlos Gomez liner with exit speed of 102 mph glanced off his head. He’s now being treated within Major League Baseball’s concussion protocol and can’t return earlier than Saturday, if the Blue Jays advance that far.
His activity in the coming days will be limited to MLB’s protocol testing that he must pass before activation.
The Blue Jays replaced him on the ALDS roster with rookie right-hander Danny Barnes on Saturday.
Right-hander Joaquin Benoit, who suffered a left calf tear during the Sept. 26 brawl with the New York Yankees, is getting better, Gibbons said, but at this point doesn’t appear near a potential ALCS return.
