Ross Atkins says Aaron Sanchez returning to Blue Jays this week

Ross Atkins joined Baseball Central to talk about the Blue Jays window and whether they should be buyers or sellers at the deadline.

The wait is finally over. Aaron Sanchez will be returning to the Toronto Blue Jays this week, general manager Ross Atkins announced Monday.

“We’re excited to be bringing him back into the fold,” Atkins told Mike Wilner and Shi Davidi on Baseball Central at Noon. “He hasn’t had any negative residual from the finger blister issue. It’s all systems go. Everything in and around his finger, arm, hand, he’s 100 per cent healthy.”

 
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Issues with Sanchez’s pitching hand have resulted in three separate stints on the disabled list this season. He has made only five appearances with the Blue Jays in 2017 and hasn’t pitched for them since May 19.

The 25-year-old threw 66 pitches in a single-A start for the Dunedin Blue Jays last week and lasted 4.1 innings in a start for the Buffalo Bisons Sunday, allowing five hits, four runs and three walks while striking out four and throwing 40 strikes on 76 pitches.

What Sanchez’s return means for Joe Biagini and others is still to be determined.

“We’ll work through what our alternatives are, what the countermove is with the rest of our rotation and bullpen in the coming days, 24-48 hours,” Atkins added.

The Blue Jays begin a three-game road series with the New York Yankees Monday before returning home for a four-game series versus the MLB-leading Houston Astros.

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