BALTIMORE – A return to the Toronto Blue Jays by Jose Reyes and Casey Janssen is expected to move a step closer Sunday when the two players are slated to depart for rehab assignments at single-A Dunedin.
Each worked out Saturday – Reyes running the bases at “close” to full speed, Janssen airing it out for 35 pitches in the bullpen – and felt good afterwards. The slick shortstop could be ready as soon as next weekend’s series at Cleveland, with the closer on a similar track, barring setbacks.
Game speed is the final test that remains for the duo.
“I’ve been able to do everything they’ve asked me to at this point and the next part of the progress is the game,” said Janssen. “I didn’t hold back any today, but a nice exhale would be a game and go from there. I pitch with a lot of energy and it’s hard to recreate that at 3 o’clock in Baltimore.”
Janssen (strain in his back and abs) and Reyes (left hamstring) are heading to Dunedin because of a dodgy forecast in Buffalo, where their triple-A affiliate is based. Both are dealing with soft tissue injuries helped by warm weather.
“That’s what I prefer,” said Reyes, although he has no qualms about potentially rejoining the team in Cleveland, where temperatures are also expected to be cool.
“I don’t care about that,” he said. “If I’m ready to play in Cleveland, I’m going to play. I don’t worry about the weather.”
Reyes should see his first action at Dunedin on Monday, with Janssen to pitch the same day or Tuesday. The right-hander expects to need two rehab outings, possibly three, before getting a green light to come back.
“I threw pretty much as hard as I could without facing a hitter,” said Janssen. “There wasn’t any holding back or questioning is it going to hurt. I think I had a little more zip the other day, but that wasn’t intentional or unintentional. It was just a good bullpen, I hit my spots well, that’s kind of my game.”
Janssen hurt himself trying to create extra power with his front side while warming up before an exhibition game in Montreal.
“It’s just weird,” he said. “I feel stuff, it doesn’t hurt, but they say you’re going to feel stuff, as long as it doesn’t hurt keep on going forward, and that’s what I’ve been doing.”
