TORONTO – Jose Bautista is nearing a return to the Blue Jays lineup and pinch hit in the sixth inning of Sundays series finale

TORONTO – Jose Bautista is nearing a return to the Blue Jays lineup and pinch hit in the sixth inning of Sundays series finale against the White Sox. Fake Flames Jerseys . Batting for Dioner Navarro with runners on the corners and the Jays down 2-0 at the time, Bautista grounded out to end the inning. Fans who arrived to watch batting practice were treated to Bautistas first public testing of his injured left hamstring. He was running sprints in the outfield; he estimated at about 50 to 60-percent effort and admitted to feeling some pain, which he said he expected. Bautista will work out on Mondays off day and is hopeful of being in the starting lineup on Tuesday when the Jays play a Canada Day matinee against the Brewers. He hasnt been in the starting lineup since removing himself in the third inning of the June 22 loss in Cincinnati. "You know, its huge," said Bautista of avoiding the disabled list. Then he offered a precautionary thought: "Obviously thats still not in the plans but you never know how things are going to respond," said Bautista. "I just want to make it clear that I can get back into playing and because theres a previous injury there anything can happen. Im not trying to jinx it or anything but thats just reality." Bautista has been hitting in the underneath batting cage. "I feel like hitting is much easier right now than running," he said. While its superfluous to suggest the Blue Jays miss Bautista when hes not in the lineup the matter became more pronounced as the club faced three Chicago lefthanders over the weekend. After two home games versus Milwaukee, against right-handed starters, the Jays kick off their next road trip with four games in Oakland. The As will throw three left-handers at the Blue Jays in that series. Bautistas done serious damage to southpaws this year. Seven of his 15 home runs have been hit off of lefties. Hes accomplished that in only 57 at-bats. His on-base plus slugging percentage sits at an otherworldly 1.329. Combine Bautistas absence with the predominantly right-handed lineup manager John Gibbons has played this weekend, featuring Triple-A call ups Brad Glenn and Darin Mastroianni, and offence has been in relatively short supply. Left-handed hitters Adam Lind and Colby Rasmus, when theyve played, have struggled as the numbers would suggest they would. Bautista isnt committing to whether hell be Tuesdays designated hitter or take his usual spot in right field. "If I come in and feel 100-percent and great and go out on the field and play defence and I could not feel 100-percent and ask to DH instead of playing the field," said Bautista. "It all depends on how I feel on Tuesday and I wont know that until Tuesday." If Bautistas hamstring limits him to the designated hitters role, that likely removes Adam Lind from the Canada Day starting lineup. Against a right-handed starting pitcher, thats less than ideal. Should Bautista declare himself fit to play right field, Edwin Encarnacion and Adam Lind would both play, one as the designated hitter and the other at first base. Custom Calgary Flames Jerseys . The Detroit Tigers star had microfracture surgery Friday to repair the medial and lateral meniscus in his left knee. "I dont want to say it was a surprise," team president and general manager Dave Dombrowski said. Flames Jerseys 2020 . Radulov scored the lone goal in the shootout, and the Predators edged the Minnesota Wild 2-1 on Tuesday night to reach 100 points for the second time in three seasons and fourth in seven. https://www.cheapflames.com/ .com) - Real Madrid claimed its 20th consecutive win across all competitions by cruising to a 4-1 victory at Almeria on Friday.England captain Dylan Hartley is confident whoever plays against Fiji will do the country proud after Thursday’s team announcement was delayed due to injury concerns. Eddie Jones side face Fiji at Twickenham on Saturday, live on Sky Sports, looking to build on their impressive 37-21 victory over South Africa last weekend. England vs Fiji November 19, 2016, 2:00pm Live on Get Sky Sports Get a Sky Sports pass The England head coach is waiting on the results of fitness tests undergone by Billy Vunipola, Nathan Hughes and Elliot Daly before naming his starting XV, although Hartley revealed he knows who is likely to get the nod. I know the team and the guys know the team, roughly. We have trained well today, prepared well, we have one more day to go but we are looking forward to it, he told Sky Sports News HQ.There have been much documented injuries to the second row but we have seen Courtney Lawes and Joe Launchbury come back and do a fantastic job for us. Eddie Jones explains why he will not be introducing curfews for Englands rugby players following Wayne Rooneys apology for his behaviour on the weekend. Whoever plays, I am sure they will do a great job.Jones enigmatically suggested during his news conference Fiji want a Cava party, we dont. We want a fish and chip party and Hartley believes he knows what the Australian means. Six months half price Upgrade to Sky Sports to watch Man Utd v Arsenal on Saturday and get the first six months half price My basic interpretation of that is we cannot get caught up playing an unstructured game of rugby, Fiji thrive on that, Hartley added. Calgary Flames Shirts. We need to play controlled, structured rugby, which doesnt mean its boring, slow rugby. We still want to play fast, front foot, attacking rugby but we cant get into a loose game. England rugby head coach Eddie Jones delays naming the side to play Fiji on Saturday because of injury concerns. As for team discipline - an issue in top-level sport after pictures emerged of England football captain Wayne Rooney at a fellow guests wedding at the team hotel in the early hours of Sunday morning - Hartley explained how they approach the matter.The guys are all adults and we come back here [to the hotel] as a team afterwards. We have got recovery on a Sunday and we have another big game to prepare for, he said.We let the guys make their own decisions. As soon as we need to start making rules, we have got an issue.We just put in individual responsibility, thats what we do as a team. Eddie Jones has a leadership group in place and doesnt think curfews will ever be needed Jones was of a similar opinion, adding: They are adults. Most of the players have got their own families. Theyll come back here, theyll have a few beers and theyll decide when they go to bed.The time we have to have a curfew is the time we dont have a leadership group within the team. Weve got a great leadership group within the team so we dont need to have curfews.Watch England v Fiji on Saturday. Coverage begins on Sky Sports 2 HD at 2pm.Upgrade to Sky Sports now to watch Man Utd v Arsenal this Saturday and get the first six months half price! Also See: England delay naming team May misses England training Goode targets dream start Rugby Union on Sky ' ' '