Blue Jays' Donaldson: 'You don't have to be a stud' to get wins on this team

Last summer, in his first season with the Toronto Blue Jays, Josh Donaldson smacked 41 home runs and took home the American League MVP award. Jose Bautista crushed 40 homers, too, hitting behind him in the order. Edwin Encarnacion, the cleanup hitter, broke out his peculiar home-run trot 39 times.

With all three set to return to Toronto's lineup in 2016 - along with Troy Tulowitzki and Russell Martin, who share nine All-Star appearances between them - Donaldson suggested it isn't really a problem that the Blue Jays don't have a proven ace atop their rotation.

"This is the beautiful thing about our team: to be a starting pitcher, you don't have to be a stud to go out there and get wins," Donaldson told MLB Network Radio on Thursday. "You just have to be good - just be average. Be the average guy. If you go out there and produce more than that, great."

Following the addition of J.A. Happ and re-signing of Marco Estrada, the Blue Jays' reconfigured rotation should be able to do just that - be average, at worst - in 2016. Of the four pitchers guaranteed spots in Toronto's rotation, at least to begin the season, none have posted a below-average ERA in a starting role over the last two years after adjusting for park effects.

2014-2015

With a pair of high-ceiling youngsters - Aaron Sanchez and Roberto Osuna - poised to potentially compete for the final rotation spot, as well, the Blue Jays may actually complement their prolific offense with an unexpectedly strong starting corps.

And though Donaldson relished having David Price as a teammate for the last few months of 2015, he isn't particularly concerned that the 30-year-old left-hander decided to head to Boston this winter.

"This was before the season ended. I said, 'David, I know you're a big deal; I'm glad you're on my team, but if you're not going to be on my team, I'm not mad. You're left-handed. Im'ma get mine.' You know what I'm saying?"