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Votto to start for Blue Jays' triple-A affiliate on Friday after rehab assignment

Toronto Blue Jays infielder Joey Votto is scheduled to start for the triple-A Buffalo Bisons on Friday after missing time with ankle and lower back issues.

Veteran major leaguer has spent season recovering from ankle, lower back issues

The Associated Press · Posted: Jul 19, 2024 4:52 PM EDT | Last Updated: July 19

Toronton Blue Jays first baseman Joey Votto circles the bases after hitting a solo home run against Philadelphia in a spring training game on March 17, 2024 in Clearwater, Fla. — The Blue Jays' Joey Votto is pictured during a March spring training game after singing a minor-league deal with the team earlier that month. (Steve Nesius/Canadian Press/File)

Toronto Blue Jays infielder Joey Votto was pulled from the Buffalo Bisons' lineup shortly before he was expected to make his Triple-A debut on Firday.

The Blue Jays said Votto "tweaked" his right ankle and will be re-evaluated on Saturday.

The six-time All-Star from Toronto was expected to play for the Bisons on Friday against the Scranton/Wilkes Barre RailRaiders after missing time with ankle and lower back issues.

Votto, 40, was the 2010 National League MVP. He's played 2,056 games during a 17-year major league career. He has a .294 career major league batting average with 356 home runs and 1,144 RBI. He signed a minor-league deal with Toronto on March 9.

Canada's Joey Votto homers in 1st game with Blue Jays, helping club to pre-season tie

Last season, he played 65 games for the Cincinnati Reds, the team he played with his entire major league career. He missed much of the season with a shoulder injury.

He appeared in one spring training game for the Blue Jays this year and homered in his only at-bat. He played 13 games with the Dunedin Blue Jays, a Single-A affiliate, this season.

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Garcia set to return, Swanson recalled

The Toronto Blue Jays have reinstated right-handed reliever Yimi Garcia from the 15-day injured list.

The Blue Jays said Garcia would be available for Toronto's series opener against visiting Detroit on Friday.

Garcia had been out with a right elbow injury since leaving a save opportunity against Cleveland with two outs in the ninth inning on June 16.

He has been Toronto's most consistent reliever this season, with a 3-0 record and 2.57 earned-run average in 27 games. He has 37 strikeouts and just seven walks over 28 innings.

PLAYER STATS: Yimi Garcia

PLAYER STATS: Erik Swanson

The Blue Jays also recalled right-handed reliever Erik Swanson, who returns after being optioned to Buffalo on May 28.

He is 1-2 with a 9.22 ERA in 17 games for Toronto this season. He has also struggled with the Bisons with a 10.70 ERA over 19 appearances. But he has pitched better of late, with a 3.38 ERA and five strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings pitched in July.

In a corresponding move, the Jays optioned right-hander Zach Pop of Brampton, Ont., to Triple-A. Pop has an 0-3 record and 5.90 ERA over 34 appearances with Toronto this season.

With files from The Canadian Press

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