Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is inching closer to a return.
Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider told reporters on Thursday that the star slugger will suit up for single-A Dunedin in the evening, taking at-bats as the designated hitter.
Schneider added that Guerrero Jr. is on track to clear concussion protocol and join the Blue Jays in New York for a three-game series against the Yankees starting on Friday.
"He's feeling better, so we're trying to progress as quickly as he can according to how he feels and following the doctor's guidelines," Schneider said on Wednesday.
Guerrero was placed on the seven-day concussion injured list last Saturday after he left Friday's win over the Yankees following a collision with George Lombard Jr. while running the bases.
The 27-year-old is in the midst of the least productive season of his career and he will have missed at least a career-high 15 games due to injury if he returns on Saturday. Guerrero is hitting .263/.337/.356 with a .693 OPS and seven home runs this season.
Schneider provided a slew of updates on Thursday aside from Guerrero Jr., including an update on outfielder Brett Bateman. The Blue Jays rookie was removed from Wednesday's 7-6 win over the Tampa Bay Rays due to right hamstring tightness, but an MRI on Thursday "didn't show anything structurally bad," per Toronto's bench boss.
According to Sportsnet's Shi Davidi, Bateman could be available off the bench on Thursday. The 24-year-old was part of the return package from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Kevin Gausman, and has made 11 MLB appearances this season, all with Toronto. Bateman has slashed .271/.314/.313 in that span.
Meanwhile, starting pitcher Spencer Arrighetti "is on track to pitch tomorrow if we need him" against the Yankees, Schneider told reporters.
"See how we get through today, but he could very well be a part of tomorrow."
The Blue Jays have yet to announce a starter for Friday's tilt against the Yankees, and are still deciding who'll take the mound. Dylan Cease and Jose Soriano are slated for starts on Saturday and Sunday.
As for Arrighetti, the righty has been on the 15-day IL dealing with Morton's neuroma in his right foot — the expectation is that he will have to pitch through some discomfort down the stretch for the Blue Jays.
Arrighetti recently threw 3.2 innings and 50 pitches in a rehab start with triple-A Buffalo on Sunday, and according to Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling, "felt good" through a bullpen outing on Wednesday.
The 24-year-old joined Toronto at the trade deadline after starting the season with the Houston Astros, coming back in the Daulton Varsho deal. He's yet to make his Blue Jays debut since the move in early August.
Toronto takes on Tampa Bay on Thursday with hopes of securing a three-game series win and continuing a climb up the standings. The Blue Jays enter the day one game back of the final wildcard spot in the American League.
Catch first pitch between the AL East rivals on Sportsnet or Sportsnet+ at 1:10 p.m. ET / 10:10 a.m. PT.
3:28