Encarnacion day-to-day with shoulder soreness

Edwin naturally gets hurt playing in his unnatural position




Nathan Denette / CP



Encarnacion has never been known as a good fielder, but has made a home at first base after Adam Lind deserved demotion into the minors. Last night, Farrell decided to stick him in left field so that both Cooper and Rasmus could be in the lineup. Typically, it makes me grimace to see Encarnacion playing anywhere but first because he is a defensively liability anywhere else.

Encarnacion got three balls to play in left field last night, and it was the second one that did him in. 

Nathan Denette / CP




You can see the video (2nd video down) here. You see Encarnacion rubbing his shoulder after the play as he leaned against the wall in left field. A valiant try, but a catch that Rajai Davis probably runs down and makes.

A couple of Jays fans remarked during the post game scrum on Blue Jays talk that Encarnacion might have been hurt on the play, to which Wilner responded that you can't protect players all of the time, and whether Edwin hurts himself diving at a ball at first or making the play in left, players are going to do that.

True, that. John Farrell, the baseball gods have not been kind to you. I understand the need to get Colby some at bats, but look at the result.

So during the pre-game workouts prior to the finale with the White Sox, Edwin was scratched and is now listed day-to-day with soreness in his left shoulder and forearm, according to SportsNet's Shi Davidi on Twitter.

And Encarnacion has been the big engine that could. Since the all-star break, he is hitting .287 / .402 / .556 and leads the team in RBIs, Walks, Home Runs, and pretty much every other meaningful category. Without Edwin in the line up, there really is NO veteran offensive threat left on the team.

That said, David Cooper has been doing well, and regular at bats will allow him to prove himself some more. And Colby can now continue to recover at DH.