Blue Jays expect Dioner Navarro back on Tuesday

Sorry Buffalo Bisons fans. While Dioner Navarro may fill out that Bisons uniform quite well, you knew all along this was only a temporary thing and it was due to end someday. It looks that day is Tuesday, as manager John Gibbons told Shi Davidi of Sportsnet that Navarro will be rejoining the Toronto Blue Jays tomorrow.

Dioner Navarro was originally placed on the disabled list on April 23rd with a strained left hamstring and has been on a rehab assignment with the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons since May 26th. He’s appeared in five games with the Bisons, collecting four hits in 14 at-bats (.286), including a double, a home run, and four RBI. That production level is right on par with what he had done in eight games with the Blue Jays before hitting the DL, when Navarro hit .267 with a pair of doubles and four RBI.

The Blue Jays are expected to option Josh Thole to Triple-A in a corresponding move to activate Navarro. By waiting until Tuesday to activate Navarro, Toronto can have Thole active to catch R.A. Dickey on Monday night before heading to the Bisons. Of course, those plans could all be shot if the Blue Jays and Nationals get rained out on Monday night and that looks like a distinct possibility as of this writing.

Coincidentally, Thole has only made eight appearances with the Blue Jays coming into Monday night. In 25 plate appearances, the soft-hitting receiver is slashing a paltry .227/.320/.318 with a pair of doubles mixed into his five hits.

Of course, Navarro may not be with the team long. Navarro asked for a trade this winter and reiterated his request during Spring Training, but the Blue Jays were unable to meet his request. However, the team still views him as a trade chip and will likely continue to look for a match. Ideally that brings back a relief pitcher of some sort, but at this point the Blue Jays will likely settle for whatever allows them to free up the remainder of Navarro’s salary so that it can be allocated to other upgrades.

Next: Josh Donaldson: Blue Jays player of the week

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