TORONTO -- Shortstop Troy Tulowitzki, who missed most of the final three weeks of the regular season after breaking his left shoulder blade, is batting fifth for the Toronto Blue Jays in their first playoff game in 22 years.
Tulowitzki, who suffered the injury after colliding with teammate Kevin Pillar, played two of the final three games, batting seventh.
Manager John Gibbons says it was an easy decision to put Tulowitzki behind sluggers Josh Donaldson, Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnacion.
Tulowitzki hit .239 with five homers and 17 RBIs in 41 games after being acquired from Colorado on July 28.
Gibbons also says Dioner Navarro will catch right-hander Marco Estrada in Game 3. Russell Martin is set to catch the first two games.
Meanwhile, Texas Rangers manager Jeff Banister decided he would start left-hander Martin Perez in Game 3, making Derek Holland and Colby Lewis available out of the bullpen in Thursday's series opener. The Rangers have not selected a starter for Game 4.
Right-hander Yovani Gallardo is starting Game 1, with left-hander Cole Hamels set to follow in Game 2. Texas has won the past 10 games started by Hamels, dating to August 17.
The Blue Jays hit .278 against left-handed pitchers this season, second in the majors to Detroit (.281).
The Associated Press contributed to this report.