Sanchez set to resume throwing on Monday

TORONTO -- Aaron Sanchez will resume throwing on Monday, as he works his way back from the disabled list. A lat strain has sidelined the right-hander since he made his last start on June 5.

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Blue Jays pitching coach Pete Walker said on Sunday that he'll have a better sense of the rookie's status after they see how the throwing session goes.

"This [injury] snuck up on him a little bit, and we're being cautious," Walker said. "He feels great, right now, so we're anticipating getting him back relatively soon. We'll stay on top of it in the second half of the season, but we expect him to be really good for us."

Sanchez was originally only supposed to have his June 10 start skipped because of general body soreness. But a later MRI revealed the lat strain, and the club determined on June 14 a DL stint -- retroactive to June 6 -- was necessary.

Scott Copeland was recalled from Triple-A Buffalo to make what, at first, was a spot start, as the team skipped Sanchez -- but he's since filled the vacant spot in the rotation. Copeland was penciled in for his third start on Sunday, as the Blue Jays wrap up a three-game series against the Orioles at Rogers Centre.

The long layoff between starts means Sanchez will likely require a rehab assignment before he's ready to return to the Blue Jays' rotation.

Sanchez, who's 5-4 with a 3.55 ERA through 11 games, delivered his longest outing of the season in his June 5 outing -- an eight-inning, one-run performance against the Astros.