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Blue Jays' Bautista to make spring debut Thursday

Steve Russell / Toronto Star / Getty

Amid all the offseason chatter regarding his looming free agency, Toronto Blue Jays slugger Jose Bautista will finally get back to baseball this week.

Manager John Gibbons told reporters on Sunday that Bautista will make his long-awaited spring debut Thursday against the New York Yankees.

The organization gave the six-time All-Star the first week of spring training off following a long playoff run that shortened his offseason.

"I talked to him and with the longer season, he's got a pretty rigid program that he follows in the offseason and he thought it would be best to start a little slower so he keeps his routine," Gibbons said earlier this week.

Bautista's coming off another strong year. He slashed .250/.377/.536 with 40 home runs, 29 doubles, and 114 RBIs in 153 games and reached the postseason for the first time.

Entering the final year of his contract, the 2016 season could be Bautista's last in Toronto. He informed the Blue Jays' front office of his contract demands last month and is adamant there's no room for negotiation.

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