Rehab, Not Return Is Reason For Rasmus Rejoining Blue Jays

Aug 11, 2013; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays center fielder Colby Rasmus (28) and right fielder Jose Bautista (19) wear red jerseys to celebrate Canada baseball day against the Oakland Athletics at Rogers Centre. The Athletics beat the Blue Jays 6-4. Mandatory Credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports

Colby Rasmus was in the middle of what was undoubtedly his best season in a Toronto Blue Jays uniform when a strained oblique muscle sent him to the disabled list on August 14th. Now, he is working his way back from the injury in hopes of finishing out the season on a positive note.

But is time running out on the 27-year-old center fielder?

Talking to reporters on Friday night in Minnesota (h/t Gregor Chisholm), manager John Gibbons indicated that Rasmus could possibly rejoin the team in the near future. However, his status to return to the field is still up in the air.

With the season in Dunedin already over and activities wrapping up at the Minor League complex, Rasmus’s ability to rehab in Florida has ended. That likely means that he will rejoin the Blue Jays when they return to Toronto on Tuesday. The plan would then be for Rasmus to continue his rehab with the team in hopes of returning this season.

That said, the team will have just 19 games remaining on the schedule when Rasmus rejoins the squad for rehab, and as Chisholm adequately pointed out on Twitter, that puts the remainder of his season in doubt.

If Rasmus’s season does end here, he can at least be proud of what he’s accomplished this season. After a slow start to the season, a huge month of July helped propel him to what looks like a solid campaign on paper. His slash line of .273/.335/.478 was reminiscent of his sophomore campaign with the St. Louis Cardinals in 2010. From defensive metrics, it also his second best season in the field, with the center fielder posting a UZR/150 of 12.2 compared to his rookie campaign of 13.7 in 2009.

At the very least, he helped settle the debate about his future in Toronto. Eligible for arbitration for the second time this winter, Rasmus will be due a raise from his 2013 salary of $4.675 million.