The Toronto Blue Jays are one step closer to getting one of their recent offseason acquisitions back from the IL.

Anthony Santander, who hasn’t appeared in a big league game since May 29th, started his rehab assignment in Triple-A Buffalo last night with the club on the road to face Rochester (Washington Nationals affiliate). Right-hander Adrian Sampson made the start for the Red Wings, with Santander starting the day on the left-hand side of the batter’s box and batting second in the lineup as the team’s DH.

In the first inning, the Venezuelan product ground out to first base on a changeup that he chased down and out of the zone. Santander then led off the top of the third inning with a walk. He took a called strike, a sinker outside and high out of the zone, before watching the next four pitches sail away and outside for the free pass. The Bisons would strand him on the base paths, with Buddy Kennedy grounding into a double play to end the frame.

Santander would give the Bisons the lead in the top of the fifth inning, driving a solo shot over the right field wall. After taking a first-pitch slider for a ball, Santander watched two pitches go through for strikes (one was outside the zone) before fouling off a high sinker. Sampson went back to the changeup that got him to ground out to first base, but the slugger was ready, driving the low offering over the right field wall over 396 feet. That would be his lone hit of the day, as he ground out to first base in the top of the seventh in his last at-bat.

The Toronto Blue Jays are in the midst of a postseason push and will likely get Santander back early next week. The Jays predicted earlier this week that the switch-hitter would need at least five games to get back into game shape and will likely get some reps in the outfield over the coming days.