Andres Gimenez says his hamstring is feeling better, and a Saturday return looks realistic.

He described his own progress directly, saying the hamstring is "feeling better" after dealing with soreness that had him day-to-day.

Manager John Schneider confirmed Gimenez is available off the bench tonight if needed.

But the preference is clear. Toronto would ideally like him to get one more day of rest before diving back into the starting lineup.

That cautious approach makes sense given his history with hamstring issues this season, including an earlier scare that also had the club managing his workload carefully.

Gimenez could return to the starting lineup tomorrow, Saturday, if everything continues to progress as expected.

Why this measured approach protects the bigger picture

Toronto sits deep in the wild-card race with a limited number of games left, making every regular's health status carry real weight right now.

Rushing a recurring hamstring issue back too soon risks a longer absence later, exactly the kind of setback Toronto can't afford this late in the season.

Gimenez has been a steady presence for the Blue Jays this year, and getting him back to full strength matters more than forcing him into the lineup a day early.

Having him available off the bench tonight gives Toronto some flexibility without fully committing to his return before the club is ready.

If Saturday's timeline holds, Toronto gets its everyday second baseman back with what should be a clean bill of health rather than a rushed comeback.

Whether the extra day of rest proves enough, or this hamstring issue lingers into next week, will become clear once he's actually back in the starting lineup.