There was some concern in Toronto Blue Jays camp throughout spring training that they would be without cleanup hitter Edwin Encarnacion on opening day.
Their worries were justified. Encarnacion didn't play in a single Grapefruit League game as he was sidelined early with an abscessed tooth and then suffered an oblique strain, but the 33-year-old slugger declared himself ready to go for Sunday's opener against the Tampa Bay Rays after taking part in a handful of minor-league games over the last week.
Encarnacion didn't have to wait very long for his opportunity to show just how ready. The Blue Jays had runners at first and second in the first inning against Rays starter Chris Archer after Josh Donaldson singled to right field and Jose Bautista walked when Encarnacion stepped to the plate against major-league pitching for the first time since last season.
No official spring training at-bats, no problem. Encarnacion smacked a single to right center to drive in Donaldson and Bautista and give Toronto their first runs of the season and a 2-0 lead over Tampa Bay. Encarnacion also singled in the eighth to finish the game 2-for-4 with 2 RBIs as the Blue Jays beat the Rays 5-3.
The league is well aware of how dangerous the Blue Jays' lineup can be. With a healthy Encarnacion, who hit 39 home runs in 2015 and had his fourth straight season with an OPS over .900, the potential is there for Toronto's offense to be even better than last year.
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