Blue Jays place Devon Travis on 15-day DL

The Toronto Blue Jays have placed second baseman Devon Travis on the 15-day disabled list with a left shoulder strain, according to a release from the team. The move will likely slide Ryan Goins into regular duties at second and may force the Blue Jays to recall one of Jonathan Diaz or, dare I say it, Munenori Kawasaki. Neither option is a good one, quite frankly. Danny Valencia has made the rare cameo at second, but the Blue Jays shouldn’t want him seeing consistent innings there. 


There was some hushed optimism that Travis may avoid a DL stint with a few days of rest, especially after the rookie received a cortisone shot after the injury. Toronto’s lineup can thankfully go without his offensive impact and Goins will surely provide more elite defense on the infield, but this remains a disheartening blow.

Now, the worry becomes the length of Travis’ absence. If he is able to return immediately following his eligibility for activation, all should be well, but surpassing that by any significant length of time may require a brief rehab stint. Time is becoming a very finite commodity for the Blue Jays as they make their playoff push.

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On the bright side, Travis proved in returning from this same injury the first time around that he is fully capable of hitting the ground running. His swing, which I consider to be an art form of the highest order, is a compact and repeatable motion that should not take as long to recapture as a longer, more looping stroke.

This DL stint could also leave Troy Tulowitzki stuck in the leadoff hole, a situation I doubt he expected when he was dealt from the Coloardo Rockies. I can’t get on board with the idea of Kevin Pillar batting number one and Dalton Pompey remains a risk, albeit a risk that I’m more eager to take by the day.

Travis had stated his desire to play through the injury earlier in the week, and was visibly upset to experience the setback so soon after his return. Few players on this Blue Jays roster are as open and relatable as the wide-eyed young Travis, so we’ll all be hoping for a speedy recovery. Here’s hoping he can jump back in to the middle of a Blue Jays playoff race.

Next: Blue Jays rumors: Club linked to Ben Revere

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