Yankees' Josh Donaldson's Calf Injury Diagnosed as Possible Grade 3 Strain

New York Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson isn't expecting to be back on the field anytime soon.

Donaldson told reporters on Monday that his calf injury has been diagnosed as a possible grade 3 strain and he hasn't been given a timetable for his return.

The Yankees placed Donaldson on the 10-day injured list on Sunday and recalled infielder Oswald Peraza from Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to fill his roster spot. The 37-year-old suffered the injury on Saturday against the Colorado Rockies while trying to run out a ground ball in the seventh inning.

It appears that 2023 will be a lost season in Donaldson's 14-year career. He had already missed nearly two months of action at the start of the year while nursing a right hamstring strain. Upon his return, he completely failed to find a rhythm at the plate.

While appearing in 33 games, Donaldson slashed .142/.225/.434 with 32 strikeouts against just 15 hits, 10 of which are home runs. He hasn't performed at the level expected of him when New York acquired him in a trade with the Minnesota Twins prior to the 2022 season.

Donaldson didn't fare much better last year, hitting .222/.308/.374 with 15 homers and 62 RBI in 132 games. He finished with 148 strikeouts, the highest total of his career.

The Yankees are tied with the Boston Red Sox for the worst record in the AL East at 50-44. The injury bug has taken a bite of the Big Apple, as New York has been without key players at various points throughout the year. Star slugger Aaron Judge is sidelined indefinitely with a toe injury, and starting pitcher Nestor Cortes was placed on the 60-day IL with a shoulder injury.

The Yankees will begin a three-game series on the road against the Los Angeles Angels on Monday night.