Josh Donaldson Injury: Updates on Blue Jays Star's Calf and Return

Toronto Blue Jays star Josh Donaldson suffered a calf injury in Wednesday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays. However, he has been cleared to return to the lineup. 

Continue for updates.

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Donaldson Active vs. Red Sox

Friday, April 8

The Blue Jays announced Donaldson will play against the Boston Red Sox on Friday.

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Donaldson Vital to Blue Jays' Success

Donaldson hit .297 with 41 home runs, 41 doubles and 123 RBI in 2015. He also posted a sparkling .939 OPS and a career-best 8.8 WAR, per Baseball-Reference.com, and took home the American League MVP for his efforts.

Donaldson finished fifth in all of baseball in homers and second in RBI and was a major reason why the Blue Jays led the league in total runs scored by 127 more than the next closest team last year.

Donaldson is also a two-time All-Star and tallied 11 total defensive runs saved above average in 2015, according to FanGraphs.

Before exiting Wednesday's contest, Donaldson had accounted for all of his club's runs to that point on a three-run homer:

Donaldson is a monster bat and the defending MVP whose injury at this early juncture of the season is discouraging.

Part of what makes the Blue Jays so dangerous is the sheer amount of talent in that lineup, and losing arguably the top piece puts even more pressure on the others. Donaldson drives home plenty of runs, but he also adds protection for his teammates because opposing pitchers can't afford to pitch around them with the powerful third baseman waiting.

The Blue Jays have World Series aspirations behind that powerful lineup and a solid starting rotation that features Marcus Stroman, but winning it all would be a much more difficult task without a healthy Donaldson mashing home runs.