ANAHEIM, Calif. — Melky Cabrera is heading to Florida for more tests after an MRI on Friday revealed “issues” with the meniscus in his left knee.
The Toronto Blue Jays made the decision to place the left-fielder on the 15-day disabled list following Thursday night’s 8-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels, a game which he left during the fourth inning with knee pain.
Cabrera has struggled with leg troubles for most of the season, and an MRI back in May revealed irritation in his quads and hamstrings of both legs. He also missed 18 games between June 20 and July 20 on a separate DL stint for his left knee.
Reliever Neil Wagner was recalled from triple-A Buffalo to replace Cabrera on the roster, and manager John Gibbons said he would mix and match Emilio Bonifacio and Rajai Davis in left field for the time being.
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LOOKING FOR ANSWERS: Still searching for answers to Josh Johnson’s struggles, the Blue Jays are considering a number of different options to try and help the right-hander, skipping him for a start among them.
“We could, ideally you don’t want to do that, but we have to get something done,” manager John Gibbons said Friday. “We have to get Josh straightened out somehow, we’ll see where all that goes.”
Johnson suffered his career-high sixth consecutive loss Thursday when he allowed seven runs, six earned over 2.1 innings, the second time in three outings he failed to make it through the third. He’s allowed five or more runs in each of his last four starts.
The six-foot-seven right-hander missed time earlier this year with a triceps problem and Gibbons said this week Johnson has also been fighting knee issues. He hasn’t pointed to either injury as a reason for his troubles.
“He’s a stand-up guy, he makes no excuses, he’s a pro,” said Gibbons. “He’s just been kicked in the teeth for probably the first time in his career, I’ve got to believe.”
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PRAISE FOR LAWRIE: With Cabrera on the disabled list, Gibbons slipped Maicer Izturis into the two-hole for the Blue Jays, although Brett Lawrie may also be a possibility for the spot at some point.
“Ideally he should be hitting up near the top of the lineup, somewhere, he’s got that ability,” Gibbons said of Lawrie. “And we think eventually he will.”
Lawrie entered Friday’s play batting .303 (10-for-33) in his last 10 games, and Gibbons praised him for being calmer at the plate, easing the bat waggle some believe disrupts his timing.
“He plays the game the right way,” said Gibbons. “He’s wired tight, but he shows up to play, he’ll run through a wall, he’ll break up double plays, he takes extra bases, he does everything you want players to do. When it all comes together, he’s got a chance to be really good.”