DUNEDIN, Fla. -- Left fielder Melvin Upton Jr. made his return to the Blue Jays' lineup on Sunday afternoon after missing 10 days because of a sore right shoulder.
Upton received final clearance to play after he went through a full round of batting practice Saturday and came away feeling fine. He is expected to be ready for Opening Day barring any last-minute setbacks.
"He's feeling good enough to play," said Blue Jays manager John Gibbons. "Hopefully he comes out of that feeling good."
Upton is expected to start the season in some kind of platoon situation with Ezequiel Carrera, but since both typically struggle vs. right-handed pitchers, it's still not immediately clear how they will be used. Upton hit .196 with a .578 OPS after joining the Blue Jays at least year's non-waiver Trade Deadline.
The plan for Pearce
Steve Pearce made his spring debut in left field during Toronto's lopsided 16-0 victory over the Canadian Junior Team on Saturday afternoon. He is expected to play there at least a couple of more times in the final week of camp and should be available for Opening Day.
Pearce has been hitting in games since the start of March and he later appeared at first base, but until this week he had yet to play left because he was still rehabbing from last year's right elbow surgery. He'll at least be available at first base and to pinch-hit at the start of the year, but left field might become an option as well.
"We're going to try to do it at least a couple of more times before this is over," said Gibbons. "We're getting down to the end, but he came back and felt good today. I don't think he had any throws to make, but now he can get with [Tim] Leiper, throw from the bases a little bit more from out there, which is a big step. But nobody thinks there will be any issues."