George Springer will play in an intrasquad game Friday, the next step in his return from two strained muscles that have delayed his debut with the Toronto Blue Jays.

Springer signed a team-record $150 million, six-year deal with the Blue Jays this offseason. He has missed time with a strained oblique and right quadriceps strain.

The outfielder could return in this weekend's road series against the Tampa Bay Rays.

"He's excited; we're exceptionally excited," Ross Atkins said Thursday. "Tomorrow is a great day for George.

"He's doing all baseball activity, he's extremely confident and strong," Atkins said. "Now it's just a matter of recovery and putting him in a position to play nine innings and feel like he can face elite major league pitching. Tomorrow will be a very important day to determine what that next step is and what's best for him."