ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – Tampa Bay Rays rookie third baseman Evan Longoria will resume hitting this week as he continues a rehab program for a broken bone in his right wrist.

The All-Star expects to start throwing Wednesday and hitting within the next few days. He hopes to return around Sept. 1.

“I still don't know how it's going to feel swinging,” Longoria said before a game against Toronto on Tuesday night. “I'm being a little tentative to do so. I'm going to give it a couple more days. It's definitely taken some good steps forward in the past week. A lot less pain in the last week.”

Longoria, out since Aug. 8, is hitting .278 with 22 homers and 71 RBIs in 104 games. He is considered a leading contender for the AL Rookie of the Year Award. The Rays are in first place in the AL East, leading the Boston Red Sox by 4½ games coming in to Tuesday's games.

Also, closer Troy Percival threw off a bullpen mound for the first time since being sidelined on Aug. 15 by a right knee injury.