TORONTO -- The Blue Jays activated outfielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. from the 10-day injured list prior to Saturday’s game against the Yankees after he missed five weeks with a Grade 1 left quad strain.

Gurriel sustained the injury while running through first base in early August, halting the momentum of one of the hottest hitters in the lineup. Over 66 games since earning his way back in late May after a demotion to Triple-A Buffalo, the 25-year-old was hitting .295 with 19 home runs and a .935 OPS.

Manager Charlie Montoyo plans to ease Gurriel back in with some reps as the designated hitter, the role he served in Saturday’s return, but the club won’t push it.

“If he goes 3-for-4, he’s not playing tomorrow. That means he’s running a lot,” said Charlie Montoyo prior to Saturday’s game. “I’ll probably not play him tomorrow, just to slowly get him there. Then he’s got a day off the next day and [will] probably play against the Orioles.”

Gurriel went 2-for-3 with a single and a double in Toronto's 13-3 loss, struck out once and was hit by a pitch.

Another factor at play is the crowded outfield situation that the club is trying to sift through over the closing weeks of the season. Jonathan Davis and Anthony Alford are back with the Major League club for September, but it’s been difficult to find opportunities for playing time with Randal Grichuk, Teoscar Hernández, Billy McKinney and Derek Fisher all ahead of them.

Overshadowed by Gurriel’s hot bat in his return to the big leagues was his impressive play in left field. Gurriel played shortstop and second base in 2018 before focusing primarily on second earlier this season, but he has played exclusively in left since returning from Triple-A. He had some experience in the outfield earlier in his career, but the highlight-reel catches and strong throws went beyond expectations this early in the transition.

The Blue Jays also activated catcher Luke Maile from the 10-day IL after the 28-year-old recovered from an oblique injury. Hitting .153 with a .447 OPS over 41 games this season, Maile provides veteran catching depth alongside Danny Jansen and Reese McGuire, who are expected to share the reps down the stretch.