BOSTON -- Third baseman Josh Donaldson was held out of the Blue Jays' lineup on Tuesday night because of a sore right calf, but it appears as though he will avoid a stint on the disabled list.
Toronto manager John Gibbons said Donaldson was feeling "surprisingly better" approximately 24 hours after he was removed from Monday's game against the Red Sox because of the leg injury.
Donaldson missed approximately six weeks last season because of a right calf issue but the latest ailment does not appear to be as serious. The Blue Jays have an off-day coming on Thursday, so it's possible Donaldson will be out of the lineup on Wednesday afternoon as well to give him three full days of rest.
"Feeling better," Gibbons said Tuesday afternoon. "Definitely not [playing] today. Hopefully get him through the off-day and good to go Friday. Probably surprisingly better, plus we need him. One of those things you don't want it to get worse. You deal with it. You always do [fear the worst] but good news though."
Donaldson has yet to rediscover his stroke at the plate since returning from a right shoulder injury on May 3. He is batting .234/.333/.423 in 36 games this season and has not homered since hitting two in his first day back from the DL in each leg of a doubleheader in Cleveland.
With Donaldson unavailable to play on Tuesday, Toronto gave Russell Martin the start at third base. Martin has appeared at four different positions in the last four games with starts at shortstop, third base, left field and catcher. Luke Maile got another start behind the plate while Yangervis Solarte got the starting nod at shortstop and Kevin Pillar was promoted to the second spot in the batting order.
Worth noting
• Right fielder Randal Grichuk has been promoted to Triple-A Buffalo to continue his rehab from a sprained right posterior cruciate ligament. Grichuk has been out since April 29 and is expected to start for the Bisons on Wednesday. It's not immediately clear when Grichuk will return, but he should not require more than a few games with Buffalo.
• Injured shortstop Aledmys Diaz began a rehab assignment with Double-A New Hampshire on Tuesday night. Diaz is a candidate to return to the Blue Jays' lineup early next week at the latest, and his presence will be a welcome sight for a roster that has not possessed a natural shortstop for the past couple of weeks. Diaz has been out since May 6 with a sprained left ankle.
• Former All-Star closer Duane Ward will be one of the representatives for the Blue Jays at the upcoming MLB Draft. The Draft will begin live on MLB Network and MLB.com on June 4, at 7 p.m. ET. Prior to the start of the Draft, MLB Network will air a Draft preview show, also simulcast on MLB.com, at 6 p.m.