Tip of the Tower
Fansided

Toronto Blue Jays: Josh Donaldson Needs to Regroup

By David Morassutti

Sep 10, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson (20) falls to the ground after almost being hit with a pitch during the fifth inning in a game against the Boston Red Sox at Rogers Centre. The Toronto Blue Jays won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 10, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson (20) falls to the ground after almost being hit with a pitch during the fifth inning in a game against the Boston Red Sox at Rogers Centre. The Toronto Blue Jays won 3-2. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Toronto Blue Jays will give Josh Donaldson a day off hoping he can recover from his recent struggles, as they will need the reigning AL MVP to get back on track if they want any chance of making the postseason.

The month of September has not been kind so far to the Toronto Blue Jays. The starting rotation has struggled to get out of tough jams, and the offence has been inconsistent.

It is no secret Donaldson has been struggling, but now it has come to the point where the team needs him regroup. Manager John Gibbons announced that the 30-year old will not play in the series opener against the Tampa Bay Rays, which is tough considering the team is 1-4 without him in the lineup.

However, it is clear Donaldson has been frustrated at the plate. Maybe a night off will give him a chance to regroup, rest any soreness and get him back on track with an important stretch of games upcoming.

More from Tip of the Tower

The Blue Jays have a 2-7 record so far in September, all against the AL East, which is the most concerning part. The team just dropped a crucial series to the Boston Red Sox with an ugly 13-3 loss on Friday and a frustrating 11-8 defeat on Sunday.

The tough part about their slump has been the inexplicable struggles of their reigning AL MVP. In his last 31 plate appearances, Donaldson is 0-23 with eight walks.

This is tough, considering the position the Blue Jays are in, especially in the most important month of the season. While Donaldson’s slump is not the only reason why they are struggling, they will need him to turn things around if they want a chance to win the division.

Last season was a breakout year for Donaldson, with him setting career highs in home runs (41), RBIs (123), hits (184), runs (122) and batting average (.297).  It looked like he was on his way to producing similar numbers in 2016, putting him back in the conversation for AL MVP.

However, it looks like this recent slump could put those chances in jeopardy. At this point, it should not matter whether Donaldson wins the MVP – rather the focus should be on him turning things around, along with the rest of the team.

Since hitting three home runs against the Minnesota Twins on August 28th, the Pensacola, Florida native has just seven hits and only one home run in 42 plate appearances. The Red Sox are in the driver’s seat atop of the AL East, so the Blue Jays have to take advantage of an easier week against Tampa Bay and the Los Angeles Angels.

Players like Troy Tulowitzki, Edwin Encarnacion, and Devon Travis been playing well lately, but if the Blue Jays want any chance to overtake Boston for first place, they will need their third baseman to return to form. At this point, the pitching will also  have to find a way to get more quality starts from the rotation, although but that might not matter if Donaldson continues to struggle.

Next: Aaron Sanchez' Blister Sums Up Poor Weekend

Are you concerned with Donaldson’s recent struggles? Does the Blue Jays’ success rely on him turning his game around?  Let us know in the comments section below.

Home/Toronto Blue Jays