Donaldson to make spring training debut Monday
The Toronto Blue Jays' lineup will receive a big boost Monday when they square off against the Minnesota Twins.
Josh Donaldson will appear in his first spring training game, batting third as the team's designated hitter, according to The Athletic's John Lott.
The 31-year-old third baseman has been out of action with a right calf injury since mid-February.
Although he is expected to be in the Blue Jays' lineup on Opening Day, Toronto hasn't made it known as of yet when Donaldson will get into a game defensively. The slugger hopes to be in the field at third base in a major-league spring game by Wednesday, though, according to Sportsnet's Arash Madani.
On Sunday, Blue Jays head trainer George Poulis told Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling that Donaldson successfully underwent tests, which included running the bases at full speed and fielding drills, over the weekend.
The Blue Jays have taken things slow with the 2015 American League MVP's recovery, allowing him to hit - but not run - during minor-league games as of late last week.
The three-time All-Star has appeared in 313 games for the Blue Jays over the past two seasons, hitting .291/.387/.559 with 78 home runs and 222 RBIs.