Toe injury forces Bautista to disabled list

BALTIMORE -- The Blue Jays will be without Jose Bautista for at least the next two weeks because of a hyperextended big toe on his left foot.
Bautista was officially placed on the 15-day disabled list prior to Friday night's game against the Orioles. Outfielder Darrell Ceciliani was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo to take Bautista's spot on the 25-man roster.
The Blue Jays are optimistic that Bautista did not fracture his toe, but they won't know for sure until he undergoes further testing. The veteran slugger was scheduled to meet with a foot specialist on Friday, but it was not immediately clear when the results would be known.
"It's frustrating," Bautista said. "I put in a lot of hard work, dedication and effort to be healthy. This sort of stuff happens. It can only happen by playing and playing aggressively. That's the type of player I am. It's unfortunate, but I'm just going to have to deal with it and come back as soon as possible."
Bautista sustained the injury when he crashed into the right-field wall during the seventh inning of Thursday night's 13-2 victory over the Phillies. Bautista was immediately removed from the game, and he said he knew right away that the injury would require a stint on the disabled list.
The 35-year-old Bautista underwent X-rays following Thursday's game. He still needs to undergo "stress X-rays" and likely a CT scan before a diagnosis can be made with any certainty. For now, he has been placed in a walking boot to keep his foot immobilized and to limit swelling.
"There is no fracture so far; hopefully it stays that way with further testing," Bautista said. "We'll see. Hopefully I'll get a good prognosis from the specialist and it's not as bad as I guess it can be."
Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said that Ezequiel Carrera will become the everyday right fielder during Bautista's absence. That's one reason why the Blue Jays decided to recall Ceciliani instead of Dalton Pompey. Toronto wants Pompey to be playing everyday, and if that can't happen in the big leagues, it needs to take place in Buffalo.
Ceciliani was hitting .217/.271/.283 with no home runs, nine RBIs and seven stolen bases at Triple-A. A left-handed batter who sustained a shoulder injury early in the season, Ceciliani has the ability to play all three outfield positions.
The 25-year-old Ceciliani garnered a lot of attention during Spring Training, when he was one of the club's top performers. He hit .417 with four home runs and 10 RBIs in 19 Grapefruit League games.
"It was tough not to keep him; he was so good in spring," Gibbons said. "He might have been the MVP. Good defender, a lot of hits."