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Blue Jays roster news: Nathan Lukes begins rehab assignment, setting up tough roster decision in Toronto
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Photo credit: © Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Michael Coyle
May 21, 2026, 09:00 EDTUpdated: May 21, 2026, 08:01 EDT
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On Wednesday night, Toronto Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes started his rehab assignment as he works his way back from a strained left hamstring.
Lukes joined the Single-A Dunedin Blue Jays, occupying the designated hitter spot and batting second in his return to game action. In three plate appearances, Lukes picked up two walks and a sacrifice fly before being removed for a pinch-hitter in the bottom of the seventh inning.
The 31-year-old worked a seven-pitch walk in the bottom of the first inning before lifting a sac fly to left field during his second time up. Returning to the plate in the bottom of the fifth inning, Lukes worked a five-pitch walk, showcasing his strong eye that helped him work 38 walks, the fifth most on the Blue Jays, a season ago.  
Lukes suffered the injury while on his way running to second base after hitting a leadoff double in the bottom of the first inning on April 24 during the Blue Jays’ 8-6 loss against the Cleveland Guardians. After getting off to a slow start in 2026 and dealing with a case of vertigo, Lukes was heating up the seven games prior to being hurt, batting .524 with three runs scored and six driven in. 
For the season, Lukes is batting .250 with eight RBIs and a .286 on-base percentage. During Blue Jays manager John Schneider’s media availability on Wednesday prior to taking on the New York Yankees, he stated that Lukes is expected to play once again with Dunedin on Thursday, and then the club will make a decision on whether Lukes needs to head to Triple-A Buffalo for more at-bats. 
Last year, Lukes put together his finest season during his MLB tenure, posting career-highs in every statistical category. Lukes appeared in 135 games and batted .255 with 12 home runs and 65 RBIs. Lukes continued to chip in during the Blue Jays’ run to the World Series, batting .274 with eight RBIs over 17 games. 
The return of Lukes to the Blue Jays’ 26-man roster is going to leave the coaching staff with some difficult decisions. The three players who could be affected by his return would be Davis Schneider, Lenyn Sosa, and Yohendrick Piñango. 
Schneider is loved in the locker room but is batting .136 with one home run and eight RBIs over the course of his 66 at-bats. The 27-year-old only has three hits in his last 24 games, but has walked 17 times this season, something the Blue Jays love. Schneider has the ability to be optioned to Buffalo without the risk of having to pass through waivers. 
Since joining the Blue Jays on April 13 after being acquired from the Chicago White Sox, Sosa has batted .206 with one home run and six RBIs. The 26-year-old has yet to walk this season but has flashed an ability to drive the ball and has proven to be a suitable backup at first base to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Sosa no longer has options, so he would have to be designated for assignment, likely ending his tenure in a Blue Jays uniform. 
Sending down Piñango feels unlikely at this point. The 24-year-old is batting .304 with one home run and eight RBIs, impressing with his ability to drive the ball consistently on a line. The two factors working against Piñango are that he, like Lukes, is a left-handed bat and has options remaining. 
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