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Donaldson still dealing with dead arm: 'It hasn't improved'

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Josh Donaldson can't seem to shake his "dead arm."

After sitting out Wednesday's 5-3 loss to the Baltimore Orioles, the Toronto Blue Jays third baseman admitted that he's still not 100 percent.

"It's the same," Donaldson told Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun. "It hasn't improved where I feel great about it."

So far this season, Donaldson has not resembled the elite fielder he's earned the reputation to be. After missing parts of Spring Training due to dehydration, among other inexact reasons, the 2015 American League MVP could barely throw the ball on Opening Day. It's since led Donaldson to appear in five games as designated hitter, with the stud infielder appearing in a game at first base following Kendry Morales' injury.

Manager John Gibbons, who opted for Devon Travis as a pinch hitter on Wednesday instead of Donaldson, still doesn't seem to be concerned with the third baseman's health, reiterating once again that Donaldson is "fine," according to Sportsnet's Shi Davidi.

The shoulder issue has yet to affect Donaldson's approach at the plate this season, as the free-agent-to-be is hitting .239/.352/.457 with 128 wRC+, to go along with a hard contact rate of 46.9 percent.

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