Donaldson: 'There's a lot I can say' about situation with Blue Jays' front office
The Toronto Blue Jays have about 24 hours to decide whether or not to end their Josh Donaldson era, and the third baseman promised there will be a time when he'll open up entirely about his relationship with the club.
He did offer a glimpse into how he was feeling Thursday, however, and his remarks were attention-grabbing.
After the 2015 American League MVP appeared in a rehab game in Dunedin with the organization's Class-A affiliate, he partook in a 20-minute interview with reporters where he hinted at his displeasure with how things have turned out for him and the Blue Jays off the field.
"There’s a lot I can say about that, but I choose not to say anything about it right now," Donaldson responded when asked about a potential rocky relationship between him and management, according to Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun. "I don’t feel now is the time or the place. It’s one of those things that, as an athlete, I can only control what I can control. To do that I have to stay positive and focused on what I have to do.
"When it comes down to it, there’s going to be a time that we can talk about it."
Donaldson's name has been floated about on the trade market, but he had to prove he could step foot on a baseball field and play before Friday's deadline to add playoff-eligible players via trade.
The slugger did just that on Thursday when he homered in his first at-bat during an outing that featured three plate appearances and playing time at third base.
Toronto's front office apparently wants Donaldson gone, but doubts arose about the Blue Jays' ability to trade the three-time All-Star after he was absent from Dunedin's lineup Wednesday because of reported soreness in his calves and legs.
Jon Morosi of MLB Network said, however, that there was still roughly a 75 percent chance Donaldson would be traded during an appearance on Sportsnet late Thursday. Morosi mentioned the St. Louis Cardinals as the most likely fit, with the Cleveland Indians being a long shot.
Donaldson has been limited to 36 games this season, hitting .234/.333/.423 with five home runs and 16 RBIs.