Blue Jays' Reyes to begin rehab assignment Thursday

The road to recovery for Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Jose Reyes cuts through Ohio.

Sidelined since April 27 with a cracked rib and a muscle strain, the four-time All-Star is set to begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Buffalo on Thursday in Toledo.

Reyes has successfully completed on-field drills and batting practice over the past week, with the next step being game action.

The 31-year-old was off to a strong start this season before the injury slowed him down both at the plate and defensively. In 16 games, Reyes hit .250/.266/.300 with three doubles and seven RBIs.

Toronto's leadoff hitter when healthy, the Blue Jays have deployed a revolving door at the spot since Reyes went down. Devon Travis (who's also dealing with an injury), Ezequiel Carrera and Josh Donaldson have all taken a turn leading off since Reyes landed on the disabled list.