The Toronto Blue Jays will have right fielder Nathan Lukes back in the lineup in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series against the Seattle Mariners.
Lukes is getting the start in RF and batting second, one day after he was forced to depart the series-opening 3-1 loss in the fourth inning.
The 31-year-old fouled a ball off his right knee cap in the first inning, and was down on the field for an extended period before he was able to return to the batters box and work a walk. He came out for a second at-bat in the bottom of the third, but was lifted for Myles Straw to begin the top of the fourth inning.
Blue Jays manager John Schneider said after the game that Lukes had an X-ray and a CT scan done and they came back negative for a fracture.
“His knee was pretty sore, obviously,” said Schneider in his post-game news conference. “Nate is one of those guys, he doesn’t want to come out of a game ever.
“I think if he’s medically good to play tomorrow, he’ll be in there.”
Lukes has had a strong showing for the Jays in the playoffs to this point. In the four-game series against the New York Yankees in the AL Division Series, he provided two clutch two-run hits in wins in Games 2 and 4, and finished the series 4-for-12 with five runs batted in.
The Blue Jays will start rookie phenom Trey Yesavage in Game 2 opposite Mariners ace Logan Gilbert.
