Devon Travis, who impressed as a rookie in 2015, will be sidelined for approximately four to five months after undergoing left shoulder surgery, the Toronto Blue Jays announced Wednesday.
The Blue Jays expect Travis to resume baseball activities after 16-20 weeks, meaning he’ll likely miss some or all of Spring Training. The Blue Jays host their first Grapefruit League game in exactly 15 weeks.
Ryan Goins, who replaced Travis at second base during the final two months of the regular season, projects as the everyday starter should Travis miss the start of the regular season. It’s also possible that the Travis injury could prompt the Blue Jays to seek middle-infield depth through minor league free agency or waiver claims.
The Blue Jays say they discovered that Travis had a pre-existing acromion bone non-union in his left shoulder earlier this season. The condition, known as an Os Acromiale, didn’t appear to be contributing to his left shoulder inflammation at the time, but after weighing other possibilities, doctors recommended a procedure that included inserting screws to stabilize the extra bone in his shoulder. Dr. David Altchek operated on Travis in New York City on Tuesday.
Travis hit .304/.361/.498 with eight home runs in 62 games last season. The Blue Jays acquired the 24-year-old in the trade that sent Anthony Gose to the Detroit Tigers.
Travis was placed on the disabled list with left shoulder inflammation twice in 2015. He was initially sidelined from May 17 to June 26 and he returned to the DL from July 31 through the end of the season. Though he underwent exploratory surgery Sept. 23, nothing significant was discovered.
