Blue Jays say Francisco Liriano (concussion) feeling better
Liriano was injured Friday in the eighth inning of Game 2 of the AL Division Series against the Texas Rangers when he was struck in the back of the head by a Carlos Gomez line drive measured at 102 mph.
Liriano exited the stadium before Sunday’s Game 3 in Toronto because he wasn’t feeling well, but he was feeling better Monday.
“The second day after I got hit I felt a little dizzy,” Liriano said. “After that, everything has felt normal. No headache, no dizziness, nothing.”
Game 1 is Friday in Cleveland, and Marco Estrada is scheduled to start for Toronto.
With time to rest and recuperate before the ALCS begins, Blue Jays GM Ross Atkins said the Blue Jays aren’t rushing to line up their rotation after Estrada.
“We’ve talked a little bit about several hypotheticals,” Atkins said. “Fortunately now we can control it more than most. I think what we’ll do is take our time — not too much to make sure we’re not disrupting routine — but take our time to think through it extensively and make sure we’re putting our best foot forward for not only this series but moving beyond it.”
Also Tuesday, Atkins said he expects second baseman Devon Travis to return from a sore right knee and play in the ALCS. Travis missed the final two games of Toronto’s sweep of Texas in the ALDS because of a bone bruise and might have been removed from the roster had the series gone longer.
Atkins said Travis has been able to put weight on the knee while fielding grounders, hitting and running since being scratched from Game 2.
“Every day is better, every hour is better,” Atkins said Monday. “Feeling better and better about him being a part of the ALCS, which is why we didn’t replace him. We were optimistic that he would turn the corner, and it seems like he is. It’s not definite that he’s going to be playable, but we feel very good about it. Today was his best day.”
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.