After a successful rehab stint with the Dunedin Blue Jays, Devon Travis is now just one step away from returning to the big leagues.
The second baseman, who’s recovering from left shoulder surgery, will join the triple-A Buffalo Bisons on a rehab assignment starting Thursday. He played well in four games with the Blue Jays’ class A Dunedin affiliate, picking up five hits, including two doubles, in 14 at bats.
Travis posted an .859 OPS with eight home runs as a rookie in 2015, but hit the disabled list with left shoulder inflammation on two occasions. The 25-year-old was initially sidelined from May 17 to June 26 and he returned to the DL for the remainder of the season on July 31. Exploratory surgery followed in September, and Dr. David Altchek inserted screws in his shoulder to stabilize an extra bone in November.
In the months that followed there were times that Travis couldn’t lift his left arm over his shoulder, but his range of motion and strength have returned to the point that he can hit and play the field.
“I can’t wait to get back to the field playing every day,” Travis said last month.
Blue Jays second basemen are hitting .227/.259/.319 this year, which places them 29th among the 30 MLB teams with a .578 OPS. If Travis continues hitting, he’d be a leading contender for regular playing time at second base in Toronto.
