Toronto Blue Jays

Injured stars set to return as Jays host Rangers (May 26, 2017)

Published May. 26, 2017 2:49 a.m. ET

TORONTO -- The Toronto Blue Jays hope to greet the Texas Rangers on Friday night at the Rogers Centre with a long-missing one-two combination.

The expectation is that the Blue Jays will have the left side of their infield back in the lineup for the first time since mid-April. Third baseman Josh Donaldson is set to return from a calf injury, and shortstop Troy Tulowitzki is due back from a hamstring ailment.

It will be the teams' first meeting since the Blue Jays swept the Rangers in three games to win a head-to-head matchup in the American League Division Series for the second successive year.

"The plan is for those guys to play tomorrow," Blue Jays general manager Ross Atkins told Sportsnet radio on Thursday regarding Donaldson and Tulowitzki. "That will be a great addition to our team."

The two injured regulars, who were playing with Class A Dunedin on rehab assignments, are expected to be reinstated from the disabled list Friday to face Rangers starter A.J. Griffin (4-1, 5.02 ERA).

Griffin is 2-0 with a 2.39 ERA in five career starts against the Blue Jays, including 1-0 with a 1.53 ERA in three starts at the Rogers Centre.

The Blue Jays (21-26) counter with Mike Bolsinger (0-2, 6.32 ERA) as they open a 10-game homestand. Bolsinger has never faced the Rangers (24-24).

Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said the return of Donaldson and Tulowitzki would be a lift to his team, which completed its first winning road trip of the season (4-3) by completing a two-game sweep against the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday.

"These other guys have filled in and done a great job, but every team is built a certain way," Gibbons said. "You have your core guys, and if you're going to do anything, you're going to need a lot of those guys. I think everyone will be glad to see them. The clubhouse will get louder."

Donaldson has been out April 13 and Tulowitzki since April 21.

Blue Jays second baseman Devon Travis takes a nine-game hitting streak into Friday. He is batting .459 with eight doubles, two homers and nine RBIs in that span.

Toronto right fielder Jose Bautista has reached base in 16 consecutive games, batting .382 with six home runs, 14 RBIs, 16 runs, four doubles and a 1.274 OPS.

Griffin is 2-1 with a 5.64 ERA in four starts in May after a stint on the disabled list caused by gout in his left ankle.

His task is to end the Rangers' three-game losing streak after the Boston Red Sox completed a sweep of Texas with a 6-2 victory at Fenway Park on Thursday night.

"Forget about this one and move on," Rangers manager Jeff Banister said. "Three games of not the brand of baseball we want to play."

The Rangers struck out 20 times Thursday, which was a club record for a nine-inning game and matched the major league record.

"I don't really think we had the best approach through the game," said Rangers shortstop Elvis Andrus, who struck out three times but also homered. "We needed to make an adjustment real quick and have a better plan. But those guys pitched tough. You have to give credit to their pitchers, too."