The St. Louis Cardinals had a challenging night on Tuesday, falling to the Toronto Blue Jays in a close 10-9 game. The loss was tough enough, but the team also suffered a blow when breakout star Brendan Donovan had to leave the game due to discomfort in his left toe, according to MLB.com’s John Denton.
“Cardinals left fielder Brendan Donovan was removed from the game with left toe discomfort, per the club,” Denton reported. “Donovan, who has been the team’s most consistent hitter this season, went 0-for-3 with a run scored after being hit by a pitch. He was struck in the right leg by a 71 mph curveball from Chris Bassitt in the fourth inning.”
After the game, Denton shared that Donovan has been managing irritation in the joint of his left big toe for some time. The team hopes to have a clearer understanding of the injury’s severity by Wednesday.
“Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said Donovan has been dealing with this toe issue for an extended period, and the pain forced him out of the game,” Denton added. “The club expects to have more information on the injury’s status tomorrow.”
Losing Donovan for any stretch would be a significant setback for the Cardinals. He has appeared in 64 games this season, boasting a .310/.379/.440 slash line with four home runs, 26 RBIs, 20 doubles, and 35 runs scored, while also providing top-tier defense. Fans will be watching closely for updates on his condition.