Vladimir Guerrero Jr. will play for the Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays in Clearwater, Fla., Thursday night, according to Mitch Bannon of The Athletic.
Bannon adds that if all goes well, Guerrero will come off the concussion IL Saturday in New York against the Yankees.
Guerrero was placed on the seven-day concussion IL last Saturday after leaving the game the night before. He collided with Yankees shortstop George Lombard Jr. on a chaotic play at third base, where Lombard’s knee/thigh caught Guerrero up high.
The 27-year-old scored after the ball got by Lombard, but appeared to be in some discomfort during his run home. He left the game soon after and manager John Schneider said Guerrero experienced a headache both after the game and the morning after, leading to his placement on the concussion IL.
Guerrero is slashing .263/.337/.356 with seven home runs and 46 RBI in 115 games so far this season.
Clement returns to lineup
Meanwhile, second baseman Ernie Clement is back in the lineup for Thursday’s series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays after missing Wednesday’s game.
He is slated to bat seventh and play second base.
Clement woke up with an illness Wednesday morning and sat the entire game as the Blue Jays fell 7-6 to drop back to four games below .500 (62-66). Josh Smith played second base in his absence.
Clement is slashing .285/.309/.405 with nine home runs and 43 RBI in 124 games so far this season.
George Springer had a scheduled off day and also did not start in Wednesday’s game but came on as a pinch-hitter with Toronto trailing by one run in the ninth inning, flying out deep to centre field. He returns to the lineup today, batting fourth in his usual DH spot.
Absent from Thursday’s lineup is outfielder Jesus Sanchez, who had two defensive miscues in yesterday’s loss. The latter mistake cost the Jays a pair of runs and came amid a decisive five-run fourth inning.
The Jays sit a full game behind the Minnesota Twins for the final AL wild-card spot with Shane Bieber taking the mound Thursday against Rays left-hander Ian Seymour.
