Travis ready to battle through latest setback

DUNEDIN, Fla. -- Devon Travis believed this spring would be different. Of that, he was confident. At a time when the Blue Jays could not be more excited about the future, Travis was determined to be part of it.

Now he’s back in a familiar place, with an inflamed left knee that has sidelined him indefinitely. In meeting with reporters on Sunday morning, he seemed trying to grasp it all.

“It’s hard,” he said. “I’m sick of the same story over and over again. I mean, it is what it is, and you gotta find a way to keep going. But I’m sick of it, that’s for sure.”

He’s still only 28 years old, and an MRI revealed no structural damage. But having averaged 85 games the last three seasons, having undergone surgery on both knees and endured shoulder issues as well, it all feels too familiar.

“This is a tough one because I finally felt pretty good coming in,” he said, “and one week into Spring Training, here we are. Just gotta roll, figure it out, find a way. That’s what we’ll do.”

He was already in a fight for playing time with a tidal wave of young talent -- including third baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., MLB Pipeline’s No. 1 prospect -- on the verge of the Major Leagues.

Travis knows all of that. He surely had played that part of the deal dozens of times in his mind. When someone wondered if yet another setback had prompted him to rethink the bigger picture of his career, Travis wouldn’t go there.

“I don’t know if people understand that this game is our lives,” he said. “It’s how we take care of our families. This is what we’ve always dreamt of doing. For me, that’s something I always fall back on. It’s always been something I’ve wanted to do, and the crap that came along with it for me hasn’t been the best story to tell.

“But you gotta keep going. People can complain about way bigger things than what I’m complaining about right now. I can walk. I’m healthy. I live a good life. I’m a Major League Baseball player. People in this world have way bigger problems than what I have going on. For me to sit here and feel bad for myself, I don’t. I never do.

“This is the best game in the world and something I get to call my job. When you’re constantly not able to do your job, to continue to have to fight, that is mentally more than anything. I’m trying to find my peace with it. I believe I’m someone who can help this team win. I’ve done it in the past.”

For now, he’s taking rounds of treatment, icing the knee and hoping for baby steps to get back on the field.

“Knees aren’t fun for me,” he said “I’ve had surgeries on both knees. So anytime it’s a knee, it’s definitely the most concerning thing for me. This story replays too much. The training staff has been great. They’ve thrown everything at me. Just gotta stay with it. That’s the biggest thing. Taking it day by day and feeling better here soon.”