Edwin Encarnacion Injury: Updates on Blue Jays Star's Finger and Return

Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion suffered a ligament sprain to his left middle finger in a 5-0 loss to the Kansas City Royals in Game 1 of the American League Championship Series.

Continue for updates.

---

Encarnacion Receives Cortisone Injection in Finger

Saturday, Oct. 17

Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reported Encarnacion received the injection with a numbing agent after last night's game.

---

X-Rays Negative on Encarnacion's Finger

Friday, Oct. 16

According to Rosenthal, Encarnacion is listed as day-to-day. The right-handed slugger went 0-for-3 with a strikeout prior to being replaced by Justin Smoak in the 5-0 defeat.

---

Encarnacion's Impact on Blue Jays

The two-time All-Star regularly helped lift the Blue Jays offense to new heights throughout the 2015 season, with his superlative efforts in June and August standing out. 

Month	Batting Average	HRs	RBI	OBP
April	.205	4	10	.258
May	.225	8	22	.333
June	.303	4	15	.382
July	.241	3	9	.384
August	.407	11	35	.460
September	.279	7	17	.411
October	.264	2	3	.417

As the Blue Jays captured their first postseason berth since 1993, Encarnacion provided one of the team's steadiest bats on a squad loaded with power hitters. During a stretch spanning portions of July and August, the DH boosted his batting average by more than 20 points thanks to a career-best 26-game hitting streak. 

He went on to finish the regular season with 39 home runs and a career-best 111 RBI while batting .277. 

Smoak—who batted just .226 with 18 home runs and 59 RBI this season—projects as Encarnacion's replacement if the Blue Jays' everyday DH misses postseason action.