Nathan Lukes began his rehab assignment with Class-A Dunedin on Wednesday as the Blue Jays’ designated hitter against the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels, his first game action since a hamstring injury against the Cleveland Guardians on April 24.
Nathan Lukes stepped into the designated-hitter role with Class-A Dunedin on Wednesday, turning the first day of his rehab assignment into a steady, controlled return—one built as much on timing as on contact.
The Toronto Blue Jays outfielder served as the club’s designated hitter against the Fort Myers Mighty Mussels. He didn’t record an official at-bat in the game, but he walked twice and added a sacrifice fly. It was his first taste of game action since suffering a hamstring injury against the Cleveland Guardians on April 24.
Lukes also ended his evening early in a way that felt routine for a player easing back into the rhythm of full competition. He was pinch-hit for by Raimundo De Los Santos in the bottom of the eighth on Wednesday.
Even without an official at-bat, the day still showed signs of progress in small details. Lukes worked a seven-pitch walk in the first. In the third, he drove in a run on an RBI sac fly to centre field after a 77.5-m.p.h. sac fly. In the fifth, he earned a five-pitch free pass.
Before the injury, Lukes had been among Toronto’s hottest hitters. He produced 11 hits in his final 21 at-bats after working through a case of vertigo, and his bat carried the weight of that recovery. Through his first 20 games of the season, he posted a .250/.286/.327 slash line.
The hamstring setback came after that momentum had been building. By the time the 31-year-old was sidelined, the numbers behind his early season were already pointing to a productive stretch: he slashed .255/.323/.407 with 12 homers and 65 RBIs in 135 games in 2025.
Nathan Lukes Toronto Blue Jays Dunedin rehab assignment hamstring injury Fort Myers Mighty Mussels Class-A designated hitter sacrifice fly Raimundo De Los Santos