MILWAUKEE – Jose Bautista will start at third base for the first time this season when the Toronto Blue Jays open a two-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers Tuesday, but he won’t be needed at the hot corner for long.
Josh Donaldson and Troy Tulowitzki are on track to re-join the team this weekend, according to manager John Gibbons.
Bautista has already appeared at third twice in 2017, and 388 times in his career. That said he hasn’t started there since April 14, 2013 or appeared there with any frequency since 2011, when he played there 25 times.
The Blue Jays believe Chris Coghlan’s glove plays better in the outfield than at third, so Coghlan got the start in left Tuesday with Bautista moving to the infield. Before the Blue Jays arrived in Milwaukee, Gibbons approached Bautista to see if he’d be willing to play third again.
“I think Jose likes it, too,” Gibbons said. “A little change of pace.”
After a brief appearance at the hot corner in Saturday’s loss to the Baltimore Orioles, the 36-year-old explained that he still has enough of a comfort level to play the position on occasion.
“Having been there before makes it a little easier, but the comfort level’s not the same as right field,” Bautista said. “It takes a minute and here and there, hopefully only when needed. I can manage.”
In Donaldson’s absence the Blue Jays have already started four players at third: Coghlan, Darwin Barney, Ryan Goins and Russell Martin. The 2015 MVP started a rehab assignment for the Dunedin Blue Jays on Monday along with Tulowitzki.
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