Minnesota Twins third baseman Josh Donaldson is not on the club’s roster for the American League Wild Card Series against the Houston Astros because of a calf injury.
The reigning AL Central champion Twins released their 28-man roster Tuesday, hours before their series opener in Minnesota against the defending league champion Astros.
Donaldson missed Minnesota’s last two games of the regular season this past weekend because of cramping in his right calf. But the former AL MVP took batting practice Monday at Target Field, providing optimism that he would be in the lineup for Tuesday afternoon’s game.
Donaldson, 34, is listed on Minnesota’s taxi squad, meaning he could rejoin the Twins for this best-of-three series as a replacement for an injured player.
Twins utility man Marwin Gonzalez will start at third base Tuesday and bat ninth against his former club.
Donaldson struggled through an injury-plagued first season with the Twins, batting .222 with six home runs and 11 RBIs in just 28 games. The three-time All-Star is in the first year of a four-year, $92 million deal with Minnesota.
