Monday's line: Benoit out 2-3 weeks, Travis day-to-day, Smith, Burns added

RP Joaquin Benoit is helped off the field Monday night by pitching coach Pete Walker after the benches emptied a second time. 

By Andrew Hendriks
Canadian Baseball Network
Reinforcements came over the hill to arrive at the Rogers Centre Tuesday night.

Right-handed reliever Chris Smith and infielder Andy Burns have been promoted to the Blue Jays in the wake of Monday night’s melee between Toronto and New York.

Smith, 28, appeared in 47 games between double-A New Hampshire and triple-A Buffalo in 2016 while pitching to an ERA of 1.93 across 60 2/3 innings. For the season, he amassed a total of 81 strikeouts to go along with only 22 walks and three home runs allowed.

The need for Smith to be added this late in the season likely indicates how serious the injury to   Joaquin Benoit is. Benoit was seen exiting Rogers Centre on crutches after Monday’s dramatic 7-5 loss.

When the benches emptied for a second time following Luis Severino‘s drilling of Justin Smoak in the second inning of the Blue Jays and Yankees final meeting in 2016, Benoit injured his left calf on his way out of the pen.

Since joining Toronto via trade with the Seattle Mariners on July 27, Benoit, 39, has easily been one of the Blue Jays most reliable relievers. In 25 games with the Blue Jays, the 15-year veteran has posted an ERA of 0.38 with 24 strikeouts over 23 and 2/3 innings of work. 

For the time being, Toronto will likely utilize left-handed reliever Brett Cecil in high-leverage situations as the team fights to retain one of the two American League Wild Card spots between now and Sunday’s regular season finale in Boston.

Over his last 27 games (18 2/3 innings), Cecil has allowed three earned runs while walking four batters, striking out 25 and allowing an opponents batting average of .164.

In addition to Benoit, Toronto was also forced to remove second baseman Devon Travis with an apparent shoulder injury following Monday’s brawl. Since the All-Star Break, Travis leads the team with 27 multi-hit games and a .321 batting average.

X-rays Tuesday revealed no damage to Travis’ surgically repaired shoulder. He is currently listed as day-to-day.

As a precautionary measure aimed at supplementing the clubs roster should Travis not be ready to answer the bell down the stretch, the Blue Jays also recalled infielder Burns.

Burns, who made his major-league debut with Toronto on May 9th, has appeared in 10 games with the Jays this season while failing to reach base in seven plate appearances. In the minors, the former 11th round selection (2011) is a career .264 hitter with 55 home runs over 610 games.

Both Smith and Burns reported directly from Dunedin, where a stable of players are remaining active should they be called upon between now and the end of the season. 

-Follow Andrew Hendriks on Twitter (@77hendriks)