Blue Jays activate Smoak, send McKinney down

The Toronto Blue Jays have activated first baseman Justin Smoak from the 10-day injured list.

June 28, 2019

By Andrew Hendriks

Canadian Baseball Network

TORONTO -- Having last appeared on June 14, Justin Smoak has been activated off the 10-day injured list and will be in the Blue Jays lineup on Friday night when they kick off a four-game set against the Kansas City Royals at Rogers Centre.

To clear a spot for Smoak on the 25-man roster, IB/OF Billy McKinney has been optioned to triple-A Buffalo.

Over 62 games with Toronto in 2019, Smoak has slashed .225/.364/.423 with 18 extra-base hits across 261 plate appearances. Despite missing the last 12 games with a left quadriceps strain, the switch-hitting product of Goose Creek, S.C. checks into Friday's contest tied with Freddy Galvis and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. for the second most home runs on the team (12) and trails only Eric Sogard in on-base percentage (.364) this season.

McKinney went 1/9 with a walk and seven strikeouts over his five assignments since being called up from Buffalo on June 20. But his sole hit was a walk-off home run against the Los Angeles Angels on the day of his call-up.

In 46 big league appearances this season, the left-handed swinging Texas native has slashed .215/.272/.369 with four home runs and 11 RBI.

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