Blue Jays: Donaldson hits DL before series-opening defeat

Jaime Garcia didn’t last two innings allowing four runs on seven hits in Friday’s loss.

It was a disappointing start to June for the Blue Jays even before the opening pitch against the Tigers in Detroit.

Third baseman Josh Donaldson was placed on the disabled list with left calf tightness just before Toronto’s 5-2 loss to the Tigers.

Donaldson hasn’t been able to shake the injury he picked up in Boston on Monday and is on the shelf for the second time this season, after missing 20 days from mid-April to early May with right shoulder inflammation. This move was made retroactive to May 29.

The third baseman, hitting .234 with five home runs and 16 RBI, missed nearly six weeks with a right calf strain last year.

It was a busy day for player moves by the Jays, with outfielder Randal Grichuk (knee) and shortstop Aledmys Diaz (ankle) returning from the DL and in the starting lineup for the series opener. Outfielder Dwight Smith Jr. and reliever Jake Petricka were sent to Tri- ple-A Buffalo, while left-handed reliever Tim Mayza was recalled from the Bisons to fill Donaldson’s roster spot.

Against the Tigers, starter Jaime Garcia dug a deep hole early on and the Jays never recovered. In his worst outing of the year, Garcia was pulled with two out in the second inning, after giving up four runs on seven hits, making for another long night for the bullpen.

Garcia allowed just one run in seven innings against the Philadelphia Phillies last weekend, tossing just 73 pitches. But on Friday, after a scoreless first, the left-hander gave up singles to Victor Martinez and James McCann before JaCoby Jones tripled the pair home. Two batters later, Jones was cashed in by a double from Jose Iglesias. After two more singles, Danny Barnes came on in relief.

Barnes and Joe Biagini combined for 41⁄ clean innings to give 3 the offence a chance.

They did all of their scoring in the sixth inning, thanks to a Devon Travis walk, RBI triple from Teoscar Hernandez and sacrifice fly by Kendrys Morales.

The Jays, who finished the night with seven hits, threatened again in the seventh and eighth, but finished 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position, leaving nine runners on base in total.

The Tigers added some insurance in the bottom of the eighth, Nicholas Castellanos taking Tyler Clippard deep for a solo home run.

J.A. Happ, looking for his eighth win of the campaign, gets the start on Saturday against former Jays left-hander Matt Boyd.