The Toronto Blue Jays are uncertain about the status of injured second baseman Devon Travis but are encouraged about a return from reliever Francisco Liriano.
Blue Jays manager John Gibbons joined The Jeff Blair Show on Monday morning and said a decision needs to be made soon on whether Travis is healthy enough to be included on the team’s American League Championship Series roster.
Travis missed Games 2 and 3 of the AL Division Series against Texas with a bone bruise on his right knee. The second baseman says he doesn’t know when he sustained the injury.
“We’ll see. If he’s not able to go out there and move around defensively, even if it hinders him a little offensively, it may be worthwhile to put a regular like Ryan Goins (on the ALCS roster), just so we’re covered and can run a platoon,” Gibbons told hosts Blair and Stephen Brunt on Sportsnet 590 The FAN.
Gibbons acknowledged the Blue Jays were short-handed in Sunday’s 7-6 series-clinching win over the Rangers and said in an ideal situation with full bench flexibility, he would have liked to pinch hit for right-handed batter Darwin Barney with a left-handed hitter.
“Your hands are tied,” he said. “In games of this importance when you’re trying to win this thing, it’s a tough time to have your hands tied.”
Meanwhile, Liriano will be ready to pitch by Game 2 of the ALCS, according to pitching coach Pete Walker. Liriano, who was diagnosed with a concussion after taking a comebacker to the head in Friday’s game against the Rangers, is improving and will throw off a mound this week.
“He’s feeling much better,” Walker told Blair. “For me seeing him … and talking to him, I felt really good about how he was feeling compared to how we saw him that last time in Texas.”
Travis, Liriano and the rest of the Blue Jays will have several days of rest, with Game 1 of the ALCS scheduled for Friday against the winner of the Red Sox-Indians series. Cleveland currently leads 2-0 in the best-of-five, with Game 3 set for Monday night.
