Jays right fielder Jose Bautista will miss the series against Oakland to deal with a “family matter.”
Before Tuesday’s series opener, Jays manager John Farrell said Bautista should rejoin the team early in the club’s west coast trip, which begins Friday in Anaheim.
“He’s been excused to tend to a family matter,” Farrell said.
An AP report out of the Dominican Republic said Bautista’s absence was due to the birth of his daughter, Estela Marie.
As a result of Bautista’s absence, Adam Lind moved from fourth to third in the batting order, where Bautista normally hits. Aaron Hill was slated to bat cleanup.
Farrell also had third baseman Edwin Encarnacion as designated hitter and Juan Rivera in right field. Jayson Nix started at third. Farrell said Bautista’s absence will give the club more opportunities to get Nix into the lineup.
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