DUNEDIN, Fla. -- Leading off the top of the second inning during the Blue Jays' 5-4 win against Detroit Wednesday, Tigers catcher James McCann was retired on a routine grounder to third. The crowd at Florida Auto Exchange Stadium, however, responded with an enthusiastic round of applause.
That's because the defensive play was made by Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson, who was making his first Grapefruit League appearance in the field after his spring debut at designated hitter Monday. He had been sidelined by a strained right calf.
Donaldson played four innings, and went 0-for-1 with a walk.
"He looked pretty good," said bench coach DeMarlo Hale, who filled in for manager John Gibbons after Gibbons left to spend Thursday's off-day at home. "He had a good pregame where he had some movement, and threw the ball across the diamond. So it's a good sign and a good feeling to see him over there, for sure."
The Blue Jays, who have been missing some key cogs, are starting to come together with just eight games remaining before camp breaks.
Second baseman Devon Travis (knee) is scheduled to appear in a big league game for the first time Friday against the Red Sox. Right fielder Jose Bautista, who played for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic, will also be back in the lineup after missing Wednesday's game with a tight lower back.
Steve Pearce (shoulder), who has been limited to DH and first base, is expected to play left field for the first time in Saturday's split-squad game against the Canadian Junior National team.
"It's big," Gibbons said of getting Travis back. "We're running out of time down here. He went over to the Minor Leagues and came through with flying colors. And Josh played in the field. So now we're moving in the right direction.
"We'll see where it goes. If there are no setbacks, we'll have to determine whether [Travis is] actually ready or not. Whether he's had enough at-bats and things like that. We want to make sure we get it right. We don't want to rush the kid and the next thing you know he has a setback, and who knows how long that takes? If it costs us a couple extra weeks [before he plays in the regular season], so be it.
"He's a huge part of this team. If this team's going to be at its best, we need him out there. We have to be smart with it."
Finding out whether Pearce can throw well enough to play the outfield is important, too, since two candidates for playing time in left are currently unavailable. Melvin Upton Jr. is sidelined by a sore shoulder and Dalton Pompey hasn't been cleared to return after suffering a concussion during the World Baseball Classic.
"It's not ideal," Gibbons said. "We don't want those things to linger, but there's no panic yet. Upton will probably be a few days. There's nothing we've heard that there's anything wrong in there. Just general soreness.
"It's Pompey's second concussion. He says he's feeling better, but in this day and age they're really conscious of concussions. You know, head injuries, there's a lot more info on that stuff nowadays."
Worth noting
• Gibbons said TJ House, who was struck in the head by a line drive on March 10, is recovering nicely.
"He's on a throwing program and I think he's going to be in game action here real soon," the manager said about the left-hander who was reassigned to Minor League camp.