The Blue Jays have placed third baseman Josh Donaldson on the 10-day DL with shoulder inflammation, per a club announcement. With the open active roster spot, the Jays will promote outfielder Teoscar Hernandez.
Donaldson, 32, has hit just fine in the early going but has notably struggled with his throwing. The organization had to this point resisted a DL placement but will now see whether some rest will allow the club’s best player to get back to full strength.
There’s no indication of a new injury or any kind of “structural instability,” Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports on Twitter. Instead, it seems that Donaldson just hasn’t responded as hoped over the early portion of the season.
It’s hard to know how long Donaldson might be out. The Jays intend to put him on a throwing program at the team’s spring facility, Nicholson-Smith notes, but it’s not evident whether there is any kind of anticipated timeline.
Despite the issues with his throwing shoulder, Donaldson has received positive marks in his 55 frames at third on the year. It’s not worth reading too much into fielding metrics at this stage, but that’s generally promising for a player who has graded more as good than great in the field over the past two seasons.
Any uncertainty is unwelcome in a contract year, though, particularly for a player that is already set to enter the open market at a somewhat advanced age. That said, there’s plenty of time for Donaldson to get back to form and turn in a big platform campaign.
Happy to see Teoscar, but d@mn I wish this wasn’t why.
Not like this… not this this….
Teoscar performed in September and performed in spring. If he performs now, Grichuk should be demoted. Randal’s looked really bad.
Randal will be fine.
No, Randal Grichuk will not be fine. There’s a reason he was a 4th outfielder in St Louis. He has a AAA Bat. He has a severe issue in his swing/eye coordination that porduces too many swings and misses.
Months ago in these pages I told everone it was bad trade and the Jays might as well have kept Bautista in there except for Gricuk’s defence.
Grichuk needs to be sent down or released. #scoutseyes
Facts
Jimmer, non-scouts should be able to recognize the struggle that is Randal Grichuk.
Typical Jays fans slurping the Toronto koolaid provided by the same media that owns the team. Grichuk will not be fine. With the swing adjustments the team wants him to make he would be better served to work on it in Buffalo.
Quite frustrating to watch because you see there is talent there.
Shoulder inflammation from carrying his team.
I actually laughed when I read that. Thanks.
His next contract will now contain language about shoulder issues in the form of an opt out or Lackey type provision, that’s what this has done, IMO.
32 advanced age? For what? Age is so overrated c’mon people!
Advanced age in terms of contract that he thinks that he’ll get
Bring up another OF instead of a 3b? Yes Solarte can play 3b full time now but how is that going to work with only 1 extra IF and 2 OF? There is a nice hitting 3b prospect at AA who is tearing up the league right now…
You are correct. However, Jays management will not bring this prospect up. I don’t mind seeing a young player getting the experience if they have earned the shot.
If somebody needs a day off, I’m sure Pearce could take over on the right side and Martin could take over on the left.
Not sure I’d be bringing vlad up after 30 AA at bats. Lets let the kid get a little development and consistent playing time. Don’t think we want another Travis snider.
Snider was never at the level Vlad currently is. Bichette too for that matter.
It would be better if Donaldson had to DH most of the year. Morales is not going to help at DH. Hernandez looks like the real thing and may be the catalyst this team needs.
That was the 1 major problem with the Morales contract in the first place; at the time you had JD entering his age-32 season, Tulowitzki age-33. Then they re-sign Bautista later in the offseason plus Steve Pearce. Pearce is an awful defender. The rest of the guys simply needed a day or two to DH once in a while. With Morales plus Smoak at 1B they don’t have that luxury.
Real thing? Sure his slugging percentage was sky high but, a .305 obp and 36 strike outs in 95 PA last September 17 strikeouts in 55 PA this spring and 7 strikeouts in 18 PA at AAA. Not saying he doesn’t have a future, or that he might be better than grichuk right now, but I would tamper expectations.
You’d take .261 with 8 HR and 20 RBI every single month from whoever plays RF for the Jays right now.
Note to Josh: Sign any extension Atkins/Shapiro put in front of you right now. Your value will never be higher than it is right now, And with every nagging injury and game spent on the DL, you lose $ value in this new market of analytics. You are a hero in Toronto and a hired gun anywhere else. Commit now and you become a franchise icon and remembered forever as a Blue Jay.
Shaprio and Atkins won’t be signing Donaldson to big extension. If they can get a another year out of him they might be tempted, but Josh is going for the big money if he can get it.
As I said earlier this year, there is no way this team is going to compete for a playoff spot due to age and injuries. I called the Jays to start well and then fade but they will be out of the race and sellers by the deadline.
As for calling oup Vlad, that would be a stupid decision. They would be blowing a year of controlof Vlad for a going nowhere year for the MLB club. #scoutseyes.
They should have hit reset last year, they didn’t. One reason; money.
All spring training the media hyped the future of the Jays. One reason; keep fans interested when/if they hit reset in July. It now gives fans something to look forward to.
Owners took a big hit in their hockey contract along with other entities and are using the success of the Blue Jays (and other things) to mask the losses. If they were “contending” this year they would have spent 175-180 rather than 160-165.
But, Jays can contend for two reasons….1) Pitching has to be superb and healthy….2) It doesn’t take much to be a contender in today’s game. The Jays could be in the WC race playing mediocre baseball.
“Pitching has to be superb and healthy”. Agreed, but I don’t see that happening in 2018 and the depth of pitching is very thin.
Normally I would agree. I can’t get the 2016 Jays or 2012-13 Athletics out of my mind…
“Donaldson has received positive marks in his 55 frames at third on the year”
– Said no one who’s actually watched him. His throws across the diamond have been cringe worthy. This is a good example of why we shouldn’t trust fielding metrics in such small sample sizes.
Agreed. A lot of the analytical data being forced down our throats are misleading. JD’s noodle arm should be a massive concern to fans and to his agent looking to get him paid this offseason.
@jimmertree Really you are still talking. The Jays are off to a great start. Thought you were a Jays fan? So they have played teams who are not off to great starts but they’ve won those games. Stroman who has struggled to this point is only going to get better. Come on #scoutseyes jump on board and enjoy the ride at least for the time being