The Toronto Blue Jays released Andy Dirks, who’s expected to miss the entire minor league season after undergoing another back surgery, an industry source told Sportsnet.
The outfielder started the season with the Buffalo Bisons on the triple-A disabled list, and had been viewed as a potential candidate to make an impact on the Blue Jays’ big league roster in 2015.
Dirks previously underwent surgery on his lower back in March 2014 after dealing with back pain for an extended period. He appeared in just 14 minor league games in 2014.
The left-handed hitter has a lifetime batting line of .276/.332/.413 and 24 home runs in 297 career games with the Detroit Tigers. His best season came in 2012, when he batted .322 with an .857 OPS and eight home runs in 88 games.
The Blue Jays initially claimed Dirks on waivers in October 2014 before non-tendering him in December and re-signing him to a minor league deal in January.
