Toronto Blue Jays manager John Gibbons announced Thursday the team will start Chris Rowley Saturday against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Jays have a hole in their rotation after Cesar Valdez landed on the disabled list this week with a shoulder impingement. Regular starter Aaron Sanchez is also on the disabled list while fifth starter Francisco Liriano was sent to the Houston Astros at the trade deadline.

The 26-year-old Rowley will be making his first big Big League start Saturday. He has split this season between Double-A and Triple-A and has a combined 6-6 record in 27 appearances (11 starts), with a 2.29 earned run average and 90 strikeouts in 106.1 innings.

Rowley didn't play in 2014 or 2015 because he was serving in the US Army, according to TSN Baseball Reporter Scott Mitchell.