Brett Bateman's MRI came back clean, and the Blue Jays are breathing easier tonight.
The imaging showed no structural damage in the rookie's right hamstring.
That's about as good as this news could have gotten, given how it looked when he came out of the game.
Bateman felt a pinch running up the line to third, then tightened up enough that Toronto pulled him two innings later.
He'd said afterward that it felt mild compared to previous hamstring issues, and the MRI backs that up.
No structural damage usually means a shorter absence than a strain or tear would require.
It's exactly the news Toronto needed for a rookie who's been one of the better stories in this lineup lately.
Why this news matters for Toronto's playoff push
Bateman is hitting .283 through his first stretch in the majors and had taken over the leadoff spot in the order.
Losing him for an extended run would have been a real blow to a lineup that's already missing Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Clean imaging doesn't mean an instant return, though. Hamstrings still need time to calm down even without structural damage.
The Blue Jays haven't announced a specific timeline for his return yet.
Toronto sits at 62-66, one game back of a wild-card spot, in the thick of a stretch where every healthy bat counts.
Bateman avoiding real damage is a win in itself. Whether he's back in the lineup in days or takes a bit longer is still the open question but as the season comes to a close, the sooner they get him back, the better.
Do you expect Brett Bateman back in the Blue Jays lineup within the next week?
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