Blue Jays infielder Travis to make jump to triple-A on injury rehab assignment

Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Devon Travis will join the triple-A Buffalo Bisons on Thursday, the latest sign of progress in his injury rehab assignment.

Travis began his rehab assignment last Friday and played four games with single-A Dunedin. Prior to that, he had been at extended spring training while recovering from off-season left shoulder surgery.

“He’s moving up the ladder so that’s a good sign,” acting Blue Jays manager DeMarlo Hale said before Wednesday’s game against Tampa Bay. “That’s a sign that he’s getting healthy and no setbacks. I think (playing) at the triple-A level, it’s definitely going to be beneficial for him because he’s going to see much better pitchers.

“Pitchers that might be trying to set him up in a situation that he’s going to definitely see up here when he gets back. We just keep monitoring him and see where he’s at with progress and hopefully he has no setbacks. I don’t have a time limit but if you get to triple-A, you’re getting pretty close here.”

Hale was filling in for manager John Gibbons, who was suspended for three games on Tuesday. Gibbons returned to the field during a benches-clearing melee last Sunday at Texas after being ejected earlier in the game.

Travis hit safely in all four games he played with Dunedin, posting a .357 average with two doubles, five RBIs and a walk. He played three games at second base and one as designated hitter.

The Bisons will host the Pawtucket Red Sox on Thursday night.

Travis hit .304 with eight homers and 35 RBIs in 62 games last year with Toronto in an injury-plagued rookie year. He was named American League rookie of the month in April but didn’t play after July 28 because of left shoulder inflammation.

His return would give the Blue Jays a solid option at the leadoff spot. Ryan Goins has had the bulk of the playing time at second base since Travis went down last season.

Backup infielder Darwin Barney has also seen some second base duty this year.

Hale said he likes Travis’s approach to hitting and his ability to use the whole field to his advantage.

“I really think that he’s going to be a very good major-league hitter,” he said. “I mean he was on his way to a pretty good year if the injury hadn’t (happened). He’s still got to work at it. But I think mentally he’s going to be stronger, just (with) what he’s been through.

“I thought he handled the game when he was here very well. It didn’t speed up on him so much as a young player, and to me those are good signs.”

Travis, a 25-year-old native of West Palm Beach, Fla., was selected in the 13th round (No. 424 overall) of the 2012 draft by Detroit.

The Blue Jays acquired him from the Tigers in November 2014 in exchange for outfielder Anthony Gose.

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