Jose Bautista Shut Down For Season (Likely Along With Colby Rasmus)

For the second season in a row, Jose Bautista has been shut down well before the Blue Jays finish their campaign. It was announced today that the 32-year-old right fielder will sit out the rest of the season with his femur injury, which was originally thought to be a hip issue. It seems most fans assumed the Blue Jays would make this move as there is nothing to be gained from rehabbing Bautista and getting him back for the last few games of the season.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Bautista clarifies - his injury is not to the hip flexor. It&#39;s a bone bruise at &quot;the neck of the femur&quot;. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Bluejays&amp;src=hash">#Bluejays</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Jays&amp;src=hash">#Jays</a></p>&mdash; Mike Wilner (@Wilnerness590) <a href="https://twitter.com/Wilnerness590/statuses/375318408780201984">September 4, 2013</a></blockquote>

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Obviously he'll be fine for spring training next March and the Blue Jays confirmed that fact on Twitter:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>Bautista shut down for rest of season with femur bone bruise. Will be 100 pct for spring training</p>&mdash; Blue Jays-Official (@BlueJays) <a href="https://twitter.com/BlueJays/statuses/375318435884195841">September 4, 2013</a></blockquote>

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Bautista's slash line this season will go in the books as .259/.358/.498 with 28 home runs, which is one more homer than he had last year. While his 2013 season was better than his 2012 campaign, it comes nowhere close to the level he was playing at in 2010 and 2011. His contract has two more years remaining on it, each with a $14 million annual value (as was his yearly salary for the past two years) along with a 2016 option worth the same amount. Bautista will be 33 at the beginning of next season as he begins to approach the downside of his career most likely.

If that news isn't bad enough, TankFest 2013 might hit a whole new level as Colby Rasmus may also be shut down for the rest of the 2013 season:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p>John Gibbons also says that the clock may run out on Colby Rasmus, as well. <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Bluejays&amp;src=hash">#Bluejays</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/search?q=%23Jays&amp;src=hash">#Jays</a></p>&mdash; Mike Wilner (@Wilnerness590) <a href="https://twitter.com/Wilnerness590/statuses/375320904030384129">September 4, 2013</a></blockquote>

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It's unfortunate news for the fans in Toronto who plan to go to games in September as they will see an almost completely AAA squad on the field (especially the outfield) with very few actual prospects to brighten things up.