TORONTO (AP) — Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista was held out of the starting lineup for a third straight game Wednesday with a sore back and has not been able to swing a bat since the weekend, manager John Gibbons said.
Usually a right fielder, the two-time major league home run champion felt sore after starting two games at third base in Kansas City last weekend, moving to the infield after shortstop Jose Reyes severely sprained his left ankle.
Bautista, who is batting .200 with three homers and six RBIs, missed three games earlier this month with a sore right ankle.
Gibbons said Bautista has not been able to take batting practice or hit in the cage in the past three days, and was likely unavailable to pinch hit against the Chicago White Sox.
