Troy Tulowitzki, out since Sept. 12 when he cracked his scapula and bruised muscles in his upper back, expects to return to the Toronto Blue Jays in time for the playoffs.

Tulowitzki tested his injured shoulder by taking between 30 and 40 swings on Monday.

"Hitting is the last thing," the shortstop said. "This is pretty much the first time I have hit live."

He was injured when he collided with teammate Kevin Pillar in a game against the New York Yankees.

After throwing 27 pitches during a simulated inning on Saturday, Adam Wainwright only needs a doctor's OK to return to the St. Louis Cardinals.

Wainwright described Saturday's session as "much better" than the one he had on Wednesday, when, for the first time since tearing his left Achilles in late April, he tested his pitches against six hitters.

"It felt like me out there today," Wainwright said. "That was incredibly uplifting. My leg feels great. My arm was solid, rebounded great. It was nice to be out there facing big league hitters."

The Cardinals are expected to use Wainwright out of the bullpen if he is able to return.

The Kansas City Royals have shut down Greg Holland because of a right elbow injury.

Holland, who will not pitch again this season, will see Dr. Neal ElAttrache of the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles next week to determine the severity of the injury.

Some reports have indicated that the closer could require Tommy John surgery.

Right-hander Masahiro Tanaka, who was scheduled to start the final game of the Yankees' three-game series against the Blue Jays in Toronto on Wednesday, has been scratched with a Grade 1 strain of his right hamstring, which he suffered running the bases on Friday night.

One week after he suffered a broken left shoulder blade in an outfield collision, Blue jays shortstop Troy Tulowitzki is no closer to knowing when he'll be able to play again.

Tulowitzki said Saturday that he's "making strides" after initially being unable to lift his arm.

Nationals right-hander Drew Storen broke his right thumb slamming the lock box in his locker in frustration Wednesday after giving up the go-ahead homer to Yoenis Cespedes in the eighth inning, helping the Mets complete a three-game sweep.

Nationals manager Matt Williams said Saturday the former closer would likely miss the rest of the season.

Bryce Harper left in the first inning of the Nationals win over the Marlins on Sunday with dizziness after colliding with second baseman Derek Dietrich. Harper passed post-game concussion tests.

In order to keep Matt Harvey  sharp for the postseason, the Mets now plan to give him regular starts down the stretch. However, the starts will be half-outings, with another pitcher being used for multiple innings.

The plan is likely to begin next Sunday against the Yankees, when Harvey is tentatively scheduled to pitch after an 11-day layoff. 

Blue Jays shortstop Troy Tulowitzkii will miss at least two weeks because of a cracked left shoulder blade.

"It's a very small crack," Blue Jays GM Alex Anthopoulos said Sunday. "Just talking with the doctors, if they had to guess, and really it's only a guess at this point, it could be two to three weeks, and then he could be back for October,"

Troy Tulowitzki will undergo an MRI after being involved in a collision on Saturday.

X-rays on Tulowitzki's ribs and chest were negative.

Tulowitzki backpedaled on Didi Gregorius' popup behind second base, while Toronto center fielder Kevin Pillar raced in. As Tulowitzki made the catch, Pillar smashed into the shortstop's upper back.