Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson departed their game Monday with left calf tightness, the team announced. Jays doctors are currently evaluating Donaldson, who missed time last season with a right calf strain and was on the shelf earlier this year on account of a shoulder issue. With a playoff berth looking unlikely for Toronto and Donaldson being a free agent at season’s end, he could be a prime trade chip in the coming months. But neither the 32-year-old’s recent injury troubles nor his surprisingly mediocre production (.243/.333/.423 in 159 plate appearances) are helping his stock at the moment. Trade speculation aside, if Donaldson does head back to the DL, calls for the Jays to promote 19-year-old super prospect Vladimir Guerrero Jr. figure to grow even louder. [Update: Donaldson suggested to Gregor Chisholm of MLB.com and other reporters that he’s not dealing with a serious injury.]
More on injury situations around the game…
- Asked Monday when Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy could make his season debut, manager Davey Martinez said, “I’m hoping it’ll be fairly soon” (via Mark Zuckerman of MASNsports.com). The Nats will make sure running isn’t an issue for Murphy before activating him, given that the three-time All-Star underwent right knee surgery in the offseason. Just as Murphy’s progressing, so are fellow banged-up Nationals Adam Eaton and Ryan Zimmerman. Both players took batting practice with their teammates Monday, Zuckerman relays. Eaton, who hasn’t played since April 8, is recovering from left ankle surgery. Zimmerman has been out since May 9 with a back injury, and his absence opened the door for veteran first baseman Mark Reynolds’ promotion to Washington. Reynolds has taken advantage of the opportunity, having slashed an otherworldly .406/.457/.906 with five home runs in just 35 plate appearances.
- There was fear on Sunday that Pirates closer Felipe Vazquez suffered a serious forearm injury, but it seems he dodged a significant blow. Vazquez told Liz Bloom of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette and other reporters Monday that he’s doing fine, adding that he expects to be available again Tuesday. “I felt like a little pop, but it was not — it looked worse than it really happened,” he said.
- Astros outfielder Josh Reddick is eligible to come off the DL on Friday, but that’s not going to happen, Brian McTaggart of MLB.com writes. Reddick, who’s battling a skin infection above his left knee, hasn’t resumed baseball activities and may need to embark on a rehab assignment before he returns, according to manager A.J. Hinch.
- Royals left-hander Eric Skoglund has a Grade 1 UCL strain and “will be out a while,” Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com tweets. Skoglund, 25, had been a fixture in KC’s rotation prior to the injury, though he struggled to a 6.70 ERA during that nine-start, 49 2/3-inning span.
Vlad Jr had a tough day today, as he was only 2/4 with a double and he actually struck out. That brings his May slash line to: .474/.514/.821/1.335.
I say if his defense, baserunning, and overall baseball abilities are improving fastest by playing in AA he can stay there all year rather than play intermittently at MLB. But we’re rapidly approaching a point where he may have an everyday slot available in Toronto.
I can’t wait to see how he handles MLB pitchers.
I don’t see the Jays doing it. Vlad should be on short flight to Buffalo as we speak and isn’t. Doubt the Jays want him up right now despite how amazing he is hitting.
There is a better chance Danny Jansen shows up to catch. They’d play Martin at 3B.
Or add Tim Lopes to the 40-man and call him up to play 3B/2B. Zero power but he’s 23 and playing well in AAA.
Another option is a pitcher to add depth over the next few days. This all depends on whether or not Donaldson needs to go on the 10-day DL.
No question the furthest Vlad should go this year (unless he signs a 10 year contract or something) is AAA. It’d be stupid to waste a year of control to have him help a 500 team look a bit better. Even if I’d love to see him up right now. Plus keeping him in the minors this year saves a 40 man slot this winter, not as critical but a nice bonus.
Danny Jansen catching with 2 strong defensive catchers on the roster makes a ton of sense to me (strong prospect, but not a HOF talent ala Vlad). Martin can play at 3B regularly while Maile and Jansen catch, say, 3 games a week each and Martin gets the 7th. Dump the DH we’re stuck with right now and let them rotate into that slot too.
2018 is a mess for the Jays – time to see if any of the guys in AAA (prospects or non-prospects) can be useful in 2019 and beyond when Vlad takes over third.
I do believe in MLB experience for a young player. Mike Trout got his feet wet for 40’ish games in 2011, and in 2012 he broke out. All I want the Jays to do with Vlad is bring him up to AAA. If he tears it up, bring him up after the deadline. If he is playing ok, leave him there the rest of the way. Leaving him in AA where he’s proving he’s head and shoulders above the rest is a waste.
“Donaldson departed their game Monday” … Is Josh no longer a ‘he’? When did Josh become a ‘they’?
***blue jays as a whole***
it was not Donaldson vs. whoever….it was the Blue Jays, thus the correct word was used.
So the Blue Jays did the departing of “their game”. I guess that explains why the team has had such an awful month of May. I thought only Donaldson departed but if the Blue Jays left the game en masse, they will never win many games.
Jays started the year with 3 huge trade candidates in Donaldson stroman and osuna. Now their 3 most valuable players (trade wise) are Happ, Pillar and Solarte. That’s a pretty big drop off in what they can get for those 3. Although I think the jays could get a lot for Pillar
I would be interested to see what Pillar could bring. He’s a really nice player to have on a team but he’s by no means irreplaceable. Solarte, Happ, Estrada, Oh, Clippard, whoever else is putting up good numbers come deadline time will be looked at too. They don’t need to make a bunch of moves but even bringing in one or two nice prospects would be a step in the right direction.
The Cardinals and Jays will make a deal for Donaldson soon enough…makes to much sense
Why do the Cards want Josh? He’ll be the position player version of Mark Mulder. Always on the DL.
His shoulder issues this year that he had earlier may suggest he’d be better on an AL team with the DH.
I think Moustakas will be in play for the Cards. He won’t cost as much as Donaldson but more importantly…he’s healthy.
He’s like another Gyorko, Cards don’t need him
Cardinals have always wanted him and knowing the cardinals they won’t pay the price for Machado
It’s almost like you can just watch Donaldson’s trade value drop by the day. Too bad people didn’t see that coming. Oh wait. I did. Lots did. Why didn’t Atkins see it before it was too late. Because frankly, it’s too late. Won’t get much for him now at all.
Maybe the offers were bad? Maybe he didn’t see Stroman and Sanchez tanking so bad this year? Maybe he didn’t see Osuna get put on administrative leave and have a pending suspension?
Maybe any offer they got would have better better than nothing? Maybe it’s easier to see than Stroman and Sanchez would struggle? They each had one good season surrounded by average to below average seasons. Maybe injuries happen all the time in baseball and when one happens to your most valuable trade chip, you’re screwed. Maybe it could have been a red flag last year when Osuna took time off for mental health that something may come up?
Lmao that makes no sense
I dont think Stroman or Sanchez have been on the table at any time, ever. Not while the franchise has control for a while.
For Donaldson the worst case is losing him as a free agent and getting a draft pick in return this winter. Yeah, not great but it still is something.
I suspect the owners also told the GM no fire sales as the Jays get massive ratings when winning and the team is owned by the same people who own the TV station. Big incentive to keep star players like Donaldson until you are certain you have a replacement.
At this point I’d think long and hard about offering Donaldson the QO if I was the TOR FO. That fact alone should compel the Jays to just take their best offer in July no matter what it is.
That’s not happening. He’s guaranteed to not take it and they’d be ecstatic if he did
I think Solaris meant the Jays would be better served offering a QO rather than dealing him due to his dropping stock. That is why Solaris mentioned July. At this point it’s still too soon to tell.
This injury to Skoglund is a blessing in disguise for KC for that it gives them other opportunities to try out other pitchers for the 5th spot in the rotation like Trevor Oakes and quite frankly, I think Skogs at best is a 7th inning reliever but more realistically, a middling reliever if not just a lefty specialist.
Keller is taking Skoglund’s spot for now. I hope he works out.
Oakes has not been good in Omaha. It’s probably Keller for the near future.
Are double posting an app glitch?
Donaldson doesn’t have mediocre production if it is a near match to Ronald Acuna’s production right now. Donaldson has the production of a young superstar in the making.
They are nearly copies of each other so much that if you look from one to the other quickly enough you will see Ronald AcDonaldson.
Stick to correcting grammar. Your assesment reeks of bong hits.