Donaldson hopes to get into game by next week

It appears Josh Donaldson may be back into the Toronto Blue Jays lineup quicker than he initially anticipated after he took batting practice on Friday in Dunedin.

"We're hoping sometime next week to get into a game if everything continues to progress well," the slugger told Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun.

The 31-year-old winner of the 2015 American League MVP has been sidelined by an injured calf since mid-February, and was expected to miss two-to-three weeks.

Blue Jays manager John Gibbons told Sportsnet's Arden Zwelling Donaldson is still 7-to-10 days away from playing the field, but he might get into the game as a designated hitter a bit sooner. Donaldson, however, is ready to go as soon as he gets the green light.

"I feel like I could play tomorrow if I needed to for the regular season," Donaldson explained. "But that being said, (the training staff) want to be sure this isn't a recurring thing and that I'm not having to deal with it throughout the season. I feel like we are getting a pretty good grasp on it right now."

The third baseman is a key member of the Blue Jays, who have struggled to a 3-8 record in spring.

During his two seasons in Toronto, Donaldson owns a .291/.387/.559 slash line with 78 home runs, 222 RBIs, and 73 doubles in 313 games.