Donaldson limps off, Martin guards Monster in loss
The Blue Jays got roughed up in their first game at Fenway Park this season, losing 8-3 to the Boston Red Sox and Josh Donaldson to injury.
Donaldson exited in the fifth inning on Monday afternoon — Memorial Day south of the border — with left calf tightness, after pulling up as he jogged uncomfortably from first to third base on a double by Justin Smoak.
The third baseman missed nearly six weeks with a right calf strain last season, and spent 20 days on the disabled list this year with right shoulder inflammation.
He told reporters in Boston that he didn’t think the injury was serious, but would likely take Tuesday off.
“It’s a little sore right now, still a little tight,” Donaldson told The Associated Press after the game.
“We’re going to do some treatment and stuff on it and see, just kind of play it by ear, see how it responds.” If he does need more time off? Donaldson was barely off the field before speculation was back in full swing about calling up the organization’s No. 1 prospect, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. — now manning third base and tearing up Double-A pitching with the New Hampshire Fisher Cats.
Jays manager John Gibbons was vague on the options.
“We’d bring somebody in,” he told Sportsnet in his post-game scrum. “That’s the way the game goes. You deal with it. Whether you like it or not, you deal with it.”
BLUE JAYS continued on S4
Toronto is already missing shortstops Aledmys Diaz (ankle) and Troy Tulowitzki (both heels), outfielders Steve Pearce (oblique) and Randal Grichuk (knee), and starting pitcher Marcus Stroman (shoulder). Diaz and Grichuk are on rehab assignments with the Fisher Cats. That manpower shortage played a part in Gibbons’ decision to start regular catcher Russell Martin in left field — his first game in the outfield since 2013 — two days after he’d made his first start as a big-league shortstop. He was seen out early at Fenway, trying to learn how to play bounces off the Green Monster in left.
Martin also has experience at third — three starts this season — which will be a factor if Donaldson is out for any length of time.
The Red Sox were up 6-1by the time Donaldson left Monday’s game.
It was tied 1-1 heading into the bottom of the fourth inning, with Jays starter Aaron Sanchez still on the mound, when the home team exploded for five runs capped by Andrew Benintendi’s two-run homer — his first over the Green Monster. The Boston left fielder finished the day a double short of the cycle.
It was another rough outing for Sanchez, who allowed a ca- reer-high seven earned runs on nine hits — including J.D. Martinez’s17th homer of the season, tying teammate Mookie Betts for the team lead — and lost his third straight decision. He struck out four and walked one.
It was a sloppy day at the plate and on defence for the Blue Jays, including catcher Luke Maile’s throwing error on a Jackie Bradley Jr. steal in the sixth.
Later, Bradley Jr. made a spectacular catch in centre field, on the warning track with his back to home plate, to rob Jays designated hitter Kendrys Morales of extra bases. Former Jay David Price picked up the win, his fifth of the season, with five innings of two-run, four-hit ball.
The Jays have lost 11 of their last 15 games and have yet to record back-to-back wins in the month of May.