Hamstrung: Twins Place Josh Donaldson On Injured List

[Parker Hageman]

After being diagnosed with a mild strain in his hamstring, the Twins have moved Josh Donaldson to the 10-day injured list and have recalled Brent Rooker from the taxi squad.Remaining healthy has been a priority for Donaldson. After missing a substantial amount of time in 2020 with calf issues, he reportedly tried to improve his running style and changed his pre-game prep work to avoid aggravating that area.

 

"I wish I was a robot and I wish I could be 100 percent and tell you that I'm great," he told reporters in February. “But it's a sport, and a pretty fast sport. And sometimes things happen."

 

Things indeed happened.

 

Donaldson ripped the third pitch of the 2021 season he saw from Milwaukee’s Bradley Woodruff into the left-center field gap for a double -- a continuation from his spring training performance. Unfortunately, while rounding first, he came up limping and would be removed from the game after the inning. It was his hamstring and not calf, if you are looking for potential positives.

 

"We're very optimistic at how I've responded to this point," Donaldson told reporters on Saturday.

 

The 26-year-old Rooker was 9-for-31 with a 19-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 40 spring training plate appearances.

 

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[BeatTheRich]

Josh staking his claim to Cooperstown:
A whole season batting 1.000, with an OPS of 3.000.

Top that, Mike Trout.

[cHawk]

Well that sucks.

[Giles Ferrell]

Not great for the last two games of the Brewers series without a DH (Cruz). 

[stringer bell]

Absolutely no surprise that JD will go on IL. The duration of the stay is the big question. If it is 10-15 days, OK, if longer, then it becomes pretty significant.

[DocBauer]

A silver lining? It's not his calf. It happened early in the season and not in the middle of a pennant drive. (Yes, I know all games count).

 

My only concern is not his age, because he is a well conditioned athlete who works hard, but rather that hamstrings can linger sometimes. For now, I will take the word of Donaldson and the Twins that it doesn't appear too bad and they are "optomistic" as to how he's responded at this point.

 

I think the Rooker move is a good one. No need to panic and make a larger move by shuffling the 40 man to add Riddle at this time. Rooker adds an extra bench bat while still playing 2 games in the NL and a 1B option behind Sano.

 

Please, can we avoid another debate about how much we do or don't like Astudillo? The Twins at least sorta like him, see some value, and he's in the roster. If you listened to the season preview podcast the other night, Seth and Nick alluded to Astudillo as now being an infielder who can catch. I think that may be an accurate description. Further, while no disrespect to Arraez at all, Nick's opinion was that Willians might be the better "backup" 3B defensively. Having watched him there the last couple of years, I think there is some merit to that arguement.

 

I'm not trying to sugar coat how much this sucks, but the depth of the team is such that the Twins can weather this setback if it is truly short term.

[tony&rodney]

April - win a few games and relax. My only big concern coming into this season was whether the Twins could manage their strikeouts and poor swings. I'm not worried in April even if 17 strikeouts is not a good sign. Hopefully JD is back soon because that was a sweet swing.

[h2oface]

It is just so depressing that Donaldson can't even run past first base to start the season without coming up lame. Diet? Yoga? Hydration? Massaging legs constantly in dugout? What a waste. 

[mikelink45]

Glad to have rooker on the team again. Not sure how he replaces Donaldson since he's outfield and Donaldson is infield. But I do look at cave and wonder how he continues to be a favorite as the fourth outfielder.

[mikelink45]

Glad to have rooker on the team again. Not sure how he replaces Donaldson since he's outfield and Donaldson is infield. But I do look at cave and wonder how he continues to be a favorite as the fourth outfielder.

[High heat]

Where is Arraez going to play and take atbats away?  Why didnt Rooker make the team? 

That lasted an inning!  

 

Great to have depth and hopefully replaces fill in nicely.  Hopefuuly Donaldson gets the hamstring healthy quickly and is back in the line up.  

[jrod23]

I hate this because I want the Twins to win.  However, over/under of Donaldson playing 40+ games?  So many raved on the signing.  We literally gambled $92 million on the front end, and HOPING he has something past 2021.  Not logical with his history.  Sucks.

[Doctor Gast]

This only magnifies the importance of the Simmons acquisition, with his ability to cover the inadequacy of other positions. I hate to see where we'd be without him. Especially with his new found hitting proficiency.

[terrydactyls]

Donaldson has a history of calf problems. This was a hamstring. Different body part and no correlation between the two. Injuries happen no matter how well conditioned you are. Two summers ago, in my first at bat of the season, I hit a slow roller towards third, took two steps and tore my miniscus in two places. Never had knee problems before. Stuff happens.

[ashbury]

Two summers ago, in my first at bat of the season, I hit a slow roller towards third, took two steps and tore my miniscus in two places.

You need to ask the grounds crew to look at the basepath near the plate and fix those two places.

 

As for Donaldson, he's not 99 years old like you are, so I would expect somewhat better.

[BeatTheRich]

 

"...and fix those two places."

 

That is very funny. The word-play, not the injury.

 

I was also going to make an age-related comment, but I had no idea terry was that old. I guess "1947" just must be some randomly chosen number ;-)

 

Terry, I hope you've made as complete a recovery as possible. As someone who runs, even the idea of knee trouble sounds awful.

[USAFChief]

Donaldson has a history of calf problems. This was a hamstring. Different body part and no correlation between the two.

Dunno about that. The calf bone is connected to the... hamstring bone.

[killertwinfan]

Nice preparation Josh. No way you get a pass from me. You were doing a basic thing that millions of people do on a daily basis. You are a professional athlete that gets paid millions. What a joke. Work harder and smarter.

[Aerodeliria]

I hope that's not a 21,000,000 dollar double. ;-)

[FlauerPauer]

Dude is soft. Soft. Soft. Soft. With Arraez hitting the way he is, we don't need him.

[terrydactyls]

That is very funny. The word-play, not the injury.

 

I was also going to make an age-related comment, but I had no idea terry was that old. I guess "1947" just must be some randomly chosen number ;-)

 

Terry, I hope you've made as complete a recovery as possible. As someone who runs, even the idea of knee trouble sounds awful.

Last Thursday was my first day back playing hockey and after my first shift, my knee hurt just as bad as when I hurt it 21 months ago. But I'm going to give it another go on Tuesday. It can't get any worse, can it?

[Mike Sixel]

I've never understood ripping an athlete for getting hurt for our entertainment. I also can't imagine there is one soft professional athlete on the planet. These men and women work their butts off for years.....hopefully he heals soon.

[PopRiveter]

 

I hate this because I want the Twins to win.  However, over/under of Donaldson playing 40+ games?  So many raved on the signing.  We literally gambled $92 million on the front end, and HOPING he has something past 2021.  Not logical with his history.  Sucks.

100% agree. My heart sank when they announced the Donaldson signing. I was worried about this. They opted to tie up a lot of resources in a player who might just spend the better part of 4 years yelling stuff from the bench. 

His talent can rally flash, but too bad for the Twins they signed him for 2020-2023 not 2014-2017.

[MGM4706]

Donaldson is by far the biggest mistake the Whiz Kids have made. Paying Top Dollar for known damaged goods is just not good business and will hurt the team for years to come by tying up needed dollars for other needs! (Just like Mauers contract did for 10 years)!