So, uh, Troy Tulowitzki

The Blue Jays have an impending roster crunch on their hands. When Josh Donaldson is eventually activated from the 10-day disabled list they’re going to have to send a player down to Triple-A Buffalo in a corresponding move. You’re welcome for explaining that very complicated reality of baseball roster moves.

But the bigger issue is how they’re going to find playing time for the players they want to have on the field. Teoscar Hernandez has been arguably the team’s best hitter since being recalled. Do you send him down because he has options? Do you try to slide Randal Grichuk through waivers so he can remember how to hit in Buffalo? Do you fire Kendrys Morales into the sun?  Who knows! It’s a difficult decision, though, it is, I guess, a good one to have. You’d rather be trying to figure out how to deal with your hoards of depth rather than asking fans in the audience to be your backup shortstop.

The issues don’t end with the Donaldson roster decision either. Here’s another problem — Troy Tulowitzki. As we all know, Tulo rolled into spring training with bone spurs in his heel. It wasn’t going to be an issue, they said, but we knew better. It was an issue. Tulo would be ready for Opening Day, they said, but we knew better. He wasn’t ready for Opening Day. I think we all just sorta assumed the worst-case scenario with Tulo and figured he wouldn’t be back this season.

Then Shi Davidi drops this bomb…

Woah! Tulo could be playing baseball for the Blue Jays in 2018? I don’t know if anyone actually expected that to happen!

The Jays have been operating with Aledmys Diaz at short this season while Yangervis Solarte and Gift Ngoepe, who was optioned to Triple-A for having a noodle bat and replaced with Lourdes Gurriel, have also filled in. Diaz has been pretty good, providing solid defence and some pop and Gurriel has also been a pleasant surprise.

So, so long as this Tulo is resuming baseball activity tweet doesn’t follow the pattern of other Tulo-related updates from the spring, we’ll be seeing the veteran back with the Jays this year. That creates an issue as to who plays when and where. With a healthy Donaldson and Tulo, where do Diaz and Solarte fit? Could Devon Travis, who’s struggled mightily through the first month to the tune of a -0.5 WAR, be sent down to Triple-A?

Like I said, it’s not a bad problem to have. But given the fact it’s already difficult enough to figure out who goes when Donaldson’s back, I’m really not sure what the 25-man roster looks like with a healthy Tulowitzki because, to be honest, it’s not something I expected to see in 2018.