TORONTO - Devon Travis is still sore after being hit in the ribs by a pitch on Sunday, but the Blue Jays rookie second baseman is hopeful he'll be back in the lineup soon.

Travis, who's batting .356 and leads the team in RBIs with 12, left Sunday's game against the Atlanta Braves after being hit in the left rib by a pitch from Shelby Miller in the first inning.

"It's just day to day. Hopefully tomorrow," Travis said of the timetable for his return. "If they need me tonight I'm in there, I'm all for it. I think it's making sure that nothing lingers from here on.

"It's just a bruise," he added. "I feel like a wimp, man, but it hurts."

Travis said the pitch that hit him was a "firm one."

"It didn't just graze me, it hit me and stuck," he said. "I feel better today though. I'm walking fine, running just bothers me a little bit, the jarring when you hit the ground."

The 24-year-old was acquired this off-season in the trade that sent centre fielder Anthony Gose to Detroit. Travis had never played above double-A before making the Blue Jays' big league roster out of spring training.

He had been batting in the lead-off spot in the absence of shortstop Jose Reyes, who was also out with a rib injury.

The switch-hitting Reyes, back in the lineup Tuesday against the Baltimore Orioles, hadn't played since last Thursday against Tampa Bay. He left that game after his first at-bat with soreness in his left ribs.

"Jose's feeling much better," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said prior to the game. "Even before we shut him down for a few days he said swinging right-handed wasn't an issue. ... Devon feels a little better but hopefully we can buy him another day."

NOTES — Gibbons is hopeful Canadian outfielder Michael Saunders can join the team in Tampa Bay on Friday. Saunders has been rehabbing in Dunedin, Fla., after undergoing knee surgery during spring training. Gibbons said Saunders "felt pretty good" playing left field in a rehab game Sunday. "These next couple days maybe get him nine innings and see where he's at," the manager said. "Ideally you'd hope he can just meet us down in Tampa Friday night, I would think."