1B/DH Edwin Encarnacion hit his eighth homer of the season in the eighth inning of the 6-3 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Wednesday. He also struck out once and has had at least one strikeout in each of his past 11 games, a total of 15 whiffs.

1B Edwin Encarnacion moved into a tie with DH Joe Carter for fourth place on the Blue Jays' all-time home run list when he belted his 203rd in a Toronto uniform Monday in San Francisco. The two-run shot was his 34th in interleague play since 2010, which is tied with teammate RF Jose Bautista for the most in the majors.

1B/DH Edwin Encarnacion tied LF George Bell for fifth at 202 on the Blue Jays' all-time home run list Thursday when he hit a three-run shot in the third inning of the 12-2 win over the Texas Rangers. It gave him six RBIs for the game, adding to a three-run double in the first. He is tied atop the team all-time list with Bell and 1B Adam Lind with three games with six or more RBIs as a Blue Jay. Encarnacion also leads the majors with 32 May homers since 2013, including 16 in May, 2014. I feel better every day. I feel my rhythm gets better as the day goes on. "When I have games like today I know my confidence gets up and I know my game is going to step up," Encarnacion said. "I have a good month of May every year, it seems like it's part of the game."

1B/DH Edwin Encarnacion, who ended an 0-for-20 drought with a leadoff single in the 10th inning Tuesday in the 3-1 win over the Texas Rangers, was 2-for-4 with a two-run homer that tied the game at 3 in the sixth inning. He also led off the bottom of the ninth with a single that started the winning rally. "It was just kind of a blah game at that point," Blue Jays manager John Gibbons said. "Colby (RHP Lewis) was shutting us down pretty good. We have some guys who can do that we can strike back in a hurry with the long ball. When Eddie gets going, you can ride him, everybody jumps on. He's due." He has his 31 homers in May since 2013, most in the majors.

DH/1B Edwin Encarnacion ended a 0-for-20 drought on Tuesday when he led off the 10th inning with a single. He scored on the walkoff homer by 1B Justin Smoak.

1B/DH Edwin Encarnacion hit his third home of the season, and his 200th as a Blue Jay, in the seventh inning against LHP Chris Sale in the 10-1 loss to the Chicago White Sox on Tuesday. He is the sixth player to hit 200 or more homers for the Blue Jays. He has 10 extra-base hits, including six homers, in 21 career games against the White Sox.

DH Edwin Encarnacion continued his strong hitting in Toronto road games. He's batting just .227 at home but went 2-for-5 with two RBIs Wednesday and now boasts a .357 average on the road. He came into the game with the third-highest road average in the American League and now has an eight-game hitting streak.

DH Edwin Encarnacion has hit safely in seven consecutive games. He has been especially effective at Camden Yards, where he is career .298 hitter. Encarnacion is batting .305 with two homers and nine RBIs on the season.

DH Edwin Encarnacion stayed hot Sunday, and this time he got a little help from his teammates. Encarnacion went 2-for-5 and drove in a run with a seventh-inning single. Prior to Sunday's game, Encarnacion was 4-for-8 with two home runs, a double, and four RBIs -- driving in all but one of the Blue Jays' five runs in the first two games of the series. Encarnacion is now batting .314 (16-for-51) with two home runs and nine RBIs through 13 games this season.

DH Edwin Encarnacion has been a bright spot for the Blue Jays in their first two games - both losses - at Fenway Park. He hit his first two homers of the season on Friday night and doubled home a run in the fourth inning. He has four extra base hits in the last three games after collecting none in the first nine.

DH Edwin Encarnacion, who hit 39 home runs last season, hit his first of 2016 when he connected off Rick Porcello opening the second inning on Friday night. He then connected again, a two-run shot, off Porcello in the seventh inning -- his 22nd career multi-homer game. He has 12 homers in 41 career games at Fenway Park. "I've been feeling a lot better after day by day," he said. "I try to keep working and keep (helping) my team and try to get my timing back." Added manager John Gibbons: "That's big for Eddie. Eddie's a home run hitter. That was his first two of the year, so he feels good about that. He's dangerous."

1B/DH Edwin Encarnacion doubled in the fourth inning Thursday in the Blue Jays' 4-2 win over the Yankees. He has reached base safely in 26 consecutive games against the Yankees to tie OF Alex Rios for the club record against New York. Rios accomplished the feat from 2006-08.

DH/1B Edwin Encarnacion walked in the first inning of the 3-2 loss to the New York Yankees and went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts the rest of the way. He has reached base in 24 consecutive games against the Yankees dating to 2014.

DH Edwin Encarnacion added two more hits Wednesday, for a .313 average in the opening series -- the middle of the Jays' order is a feared run of hitters and Encarnacion hasn't disappointed. As the team goes home, they'll need Encarnacion to show his power potential in a key early series against Boston.

1B/DH Edwin Encarnacion was shut down Tuesday for at least a week with what manager John Gibbons termed a "little oblique issue."Gibbons said the injury was minor at a pregame huddle before the spring training game against the Baltimore Orioles. Encarnacion, 33, has not played in a game this spring.Encarnacion had an abscessed tooth removed and was ready to take the field last Thursday when he felt pain in his side.

Toronto Blue Jays designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion was shut down Tuesday for at least a week with what manager John Gibbons termed a "little oblique issue."Gibbons said the injury was minor at a pregame huddle before the spring training game against the Baltimore Orioles.The 33-year-old has not played in a game this spring.Encarnacion had an abscessed tooth removed and was ready to take the field last Thursday when he felt pain in his side."He won't do anything that involves twisting or turning," Gibbons said. "It's minor. But those things can turn into bad things if you don't watch it, so (Encarnacion) is on hold."Encarnacion should be ready for the regular season April 3, Gibbons said, because he's "one guy who probably doesn't need as many at-bats. At least he's shown that."

1B/DH Edwin Encarnacion will be ready to make his Grapefruit League debut Wednesday or Thursday. He had an abscessed tooth pulled and missed about a week and now he has been gradually reaching baseball conditioning.

1B/DH Edwin Encarnacion (hernia surgery in October 2015) is ready for the start of spring training.Encarnacion, who can be a free agent after the 2016 season, has said through his representatives that he would not negotiate an extension beyond spring training.

DH/1B Edwin Encarnacion had his $10 million option picked up by the Blue Jays on Nov. 3.Encarnacion, 32, hit .277 with 39 homers and 111 RBIs in 146 games this year. He underwent sports hernia surgery recently but is expected to be recovered before spring training begins in February.

The Toronto Blue Jays exercised 2016 contract options on right fielder Jose Bautista, designated hitter-first baseman Edwin Encarnacion and right-hander R.A. Dickey on Tuesday.The Blue Jays declined a $3 million option on infielder Maicer Izturis, giving him a $1 million buyout instead after an injury-riddled season.The 35-year-old Bautista batted .250 with 40 home runs and 114 RBIs during the regular season in 2015.Encarnacion, 32, hit .277 with 39 homers and 111 RBIs in 146 games this year. He underwent sports hernia surgery recently but is expected to be recovered before spring training begins in February.The durable Dickey, 41, posted an 11-11 record with a 3.91 ERA in 33 starts this past season. The Blue Jays could have opted for a $1 million buyout but chose to stick with Dickey.