Reyes (rib) ready for rehab assignment

TORONTO -- Jose Reyes will join Triple-A Buffalo on Thursday for what is expected to be a brief rehab assignment as he continues to recover from a cracked left rib cage.

Reyes has been out of action since April 27, but he recently began taking batting practice and was hoping to return at some point later this week. A couple of games with the Bisons likely will be the final test he needs to pass before getting back into the lineup.

The Blue Jays haven't said exactly when Reyes will return, but the expectation is that he will be available to play at some point during this weekend's series against the Mariners.

Toronto also got some positive injury news on Jose Bautista, who threw for a second consecutive day as he rehabs a strained right shoulder.

Bautista hasn't played the field since April 21, but he should be able to return in the not-so-distant future now that a throwing program is under way. Bautista has been able to stay in the lineup as designated hitter.

The Blue Jays don't want to put a timeframe on when he'll play the field again, but the fact that Bautista was scheduled to throw one day after his initial workout was positive news for everyone involved.

"He's moving in the right direction," manager John Gibbons said. "The sooner we can get him out in the outfield, the better we'll be."

The news wasn't as positive on second baseman Devon Travis, who has felt some discomfort in his left collarbone area. Travis took a line drive on the upper section of his chest earlier this month and has been attempting to play through the discomfort ever since.

Toronto opted to give Travis a couple of days off, and he wasn't in the lineup on Tuesday night against the Angels.

"He's still a little tender, so we're going to guard it and we want to make sure he's good and ready to go when we put him back out there," Gibbons said. "He's moving in the right direction, but he's still a little tender. We'll go day to day with him."