Jose Bautista needs more time

• Recommend0
• Tweet0
• Comments0
• Email
• Print

TORONTO -- Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista is not expected to return immediately when his time on the 15-day disabled list concludes Wednesday. He swung the bat Saturday for the first time since injuring his left wrist.

Jose Bautista

#19 RF
Toronto Blue Jays

2012 STATS

• GM90
• HR27
• RBI65
• R63
• OBP.360
• AVG.244

Bautista, who led the majors in home runs in both 2010 and 2011, was hurt in the eighth inning of a July 16 game at Yankee Stadium, grabbing his wrist in pain after hitting a long foul ball.

He swung a light fungo bat, then his regular bat before Saturday's game against Detroit, and took a few swings off the tee.

Bautista is eligible to come off the DL on Aug. 1, but Blue Jays manager John Farrell said the All-Star outfielder will likely need a few more days to fully recover.

Bautista was leading the AL with 27 home runs at the time of his injury but has since been passed by Adam Dunn, Curtis Granderson and Josh Hamilton.

Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press

• Recommend0
• Tweet0
• Comments0
• Email
• Print
• Subscribe