Luis Urias has been assigned to Dunedin for a rehab assignment with the Blue Jays.
The infielder has been working back from a quadriceps injury, currently listed as probable for Sept. 11.
A rehab stint at this stage typically means the recovery has hit the point where game reps matter more than continued rest.
Urias has appeared in 26 games for Toronto this season, hitting three home runs with eight RBIs across 52 at-bats.
He'd actually been productive in a small sample before the injury, collecting five hits over his last 10 games.
Getting him activated on schedule would give the Blue Jays another infield option during a stretch where injuries have hit nearly every position on the diamond.
Andres Gimenez, Ernie Clement, and Josh Smith have all dealt with their own physical issues at various points this season, making every healthy body added back that much more valuable.
Why the timeline lines up well for Toronto's stretch run
A Sept. 11 target puts his return right in the middle of Toronto's playoff push, with the wild-card race still very much undecided.
Rehab assignments can move quickly or hit unexpected snags, so nothing is fully guaranteed until he's actually activated.
Dunedin gives him game action in a lower-pressure setting before facing live pitching at the level that actually matters.
Toronto's infield depth has been tested constantly this season, and Urias represents another option manager John Schneider can turn to once healthy.
For a team chasing a wild-card spot with very little margin left, every returning piece counts, even one working back through a modest rehab assignment.
Whether Urias hits that Sept. 11 target cleanly, or the timeline shifts based on how these Dunedin games go, will become clearer over the next week and a half.
Do you think Luis Urias makes his Sept. 11 target return for the Blue Jays?
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