Roster Notes: Campos, Ceciliani, Tulo, Donaldson, Bolsinger, Salty!

The Jays made a small and likely temporary move today, sending on of their myriad relievers, Leonel Campos, down to Buffalo, while recalling outfielder Darrell Ceciliani. This helps stem the loss of Steve Pearce, who was placed on the DL on Monday with a right calf strain.

Campos had come up from Buffalo to take Pearce’s place on the roster, so he was only with the Blue Jays (this time) for a day — which was long enough for him to participate in last night’s disasterpiece, wherein he allowed two runs on three hits and a walk in 2.1 innings.

With 14 pitchers on the roster on Monday night, and only Luke Maile and Darwin Barney available on the bench, something had to give, so… enter Ceciliani. His numbers in Buffalo this season are legitimately putrid — a slash line of .145/.188/.158 over 80 plate appearances — but they’re also really not very relevant. The Jays needed someone on the bench — they had Marcus Stroman putting on a proper uniform late in Sunday’s game in case he needed to be used as a pinch runner, and one even wonders if Pearce might have avoided the DL if the club hadn’t been playing so short-handed as it was. Ceciliani was the only non-injured option currently on the 40-man roster who has big league experience. Unless they were going to remove someone from the 40-man, it was either him or one of a group of young guys who aren’t going to get a mid-season call-up to sit on the big league bench: Richard Urena, Anthony Alford, Lourdes Gurriel, or Harold Ramirez.

Will Ceciliani keep his 40-man spot when the time comes for him to be sent packing? He is in his third option year, and so can be moved up and down from Buffalo without having to clear waivers, so maybe. But more importantly: WHO CARES?

More more importantly, these moves are setting up what’s going to happen in the coming days, as Troy Tulowitzki and Josh Donaldson actually, finally, magnificently return to full health.

Tulo is DHing in a game for Dunedin today, and Sportsnet’s Arden Zwelling tweets that he probably won’t return to the Blue Jays tomorrow in Atlanta, but possibly will on Thursday. Arden adds that there is no date for Josh Donaldson beginning a rehab assignment, “but it’ll be soon.”

John Gibbons hinted to Hazel Mae on Monday night that it’s possible we could see Donaldson return sometime on the weekend, though this morning Hazel reiterated what Arden said about there being no word on rehab games, but he’s “still progressing well.”

Meanwhile, get ready for another look at Mike Bolsinger! Which, honestly, could be worse. I still believe! A little bit! Even though last night was slightly horrific for the still member of the Jays’ rotation. He’ll take his next turn in the rotation on Saturday, as it appears Francisco Liriano won’t be ready yet (or maybe even not eligible, what do I know?) to return from his recent bout of left arm shittiness — though he is scheduled to throw off a mound in the coming days. Gibbons said that Bolsinger simply didn’t have his curveball on Monday night, which left him “naked out there.” Hopefully he finds it in time for Saturday — and, at least based on his rather decent Triple-A numbers so far, there is at least some hope that he might.

If Bolsinger doesn’t, it could be back to Buffalo for him, where he may find himself throwing to… Jarrod Saltalamacchia???

Apparently there weren’t a whole lot of takers for Salty’s services after the Blue Jays released him and made him a free agent, as the Bisons announced today that he’s signed on with the club on a minor league deal. I suppose it can’t hurt that — for the moment — there only stands Luke Maile and Mike Ohlman between Salty and a big league job. But… yeah… not holding my breath for him to hit well enough to ever make his defence playable again. Holy shit, GET WELL SOON, RUSS! (Also, y’know, everybody).

The Jays have climbed back to 17-22 with three real soft games against the shitty Barves still ahead of them. Getting some real players back could be a hell of a thing.