What else is new? Jansen grand in rehab assignment with the Bisons

Danny Jansen’s first rehab game in Buffalo was a rousing success.

Batting second in Buffalo’s lineup as the designated hitter, Jansen put his power on display in the Herd’s biggest rally of the season. He stepped to the plate in the fourth inning with the bases loaded and the Bisons trailing Rochester 5-3 – and drilled a ball 405 feet over the left-center field wall. His grand slam triggered a nine-run inning for the Herd in a game Buffalo went on to win 12-11.

“There was a great at-bat from Spence (Spencer Horwitz) the bat before to draw a walk,” Jansen told The Herd Chronicles. “I was just trying to get a good pitch and get it in the air to try to score the guy from third base. I wasn’t thinking grand slam or homer – just trying to hit something hard.”

Jansen finished the game 2-for-3. Besides his grand slam, he hit a bloop single into right field in the first inning and struck out in the second inning. Only scheduled to get two to three at-bats in the game, he was replaced by a pinch-hitter Damiano Palmegiani in the sixth inning.

“Overall I was happy with it,” Jansen said of his performance. “I didn’t really have any expectations. I just wanted to get in there and compete and kind of see where I was at and then try to make the adjustment to how I’m seeing the ball, whether it’s to start a little earlier – I think I did just that on the last at-bat. Just started a little bit earlier and gave myself some time to really see it. The first couple of at-bats really felt like it was super rushed. I’m looking to build off it. It was just nice to get back out there.”

The Blue Jays’ catcher is coming back from a fractured pisiform bone in his right wrist he suffered when he was hit by a pitch in a Spring Training game in mid-March.

“It’s four weeks today,” he said. “It’s a bit of pain management, a bit of some soreness still. But I got the okay from the doctor and from the team. We’ve been working hard on strength and building up. I’m extremely comfortable where I’m at. If it’s a little bit of crankiness for some time then so be it.”

“I’ve been feeling good building up to today,” he continued. “I was excited to get back out in some game action. I just wanted to work on some timing and just kind of see where I am at the plate. I definitely felt good today. It was just nice getting back out there and competing.”

The plan is for Jansen to be behind the plate for the Bisons in their Thursday afternoon matinee against the Red Wings.

“Catch a certain amount of innings and see how it goes,” he explained. “I’m excited to get behind the plate. I feel like my body is in a really good spot. I did a pretty good job of maintaining my lower half through the injury, so I’m excited to get back behind the plate.”

How long he stays in the Queen City will be determined by how he feels, both at the plate and catching.

“I just want to feel comfortable,” he said. “I want to feel (comfortable) behind the plate too. Just kind of get back into the speed of thing. However many (games), I’m not sure. I just want to get some reps. It’s been a little bit of time, so I want to make sure I’m prepared.”

it was Jansen’s 124th career game for the Herd, including when he was the Bisons team MVP in 2018, when he slashed .275/.390/.473 with 12 home runs and 58 RBIs in 88 games. He also played in Buffalo with the 2020 and 2021 Blue Jays – so he feels right at home returning to Sahlen Field.

“What they’ve done over the years with this place has been incredible,” he said. “It’s nice if I’m going to have to do rehab to be here and be with the fellas here and the staff here. It’s a familiar place for me. So, yeah, it’s a good vibe.”