Brendan Donovan left the St. Louis Cardinals game on Tuesday night, a concerning sign for one of the better players on the roster.
Donovan, a young utility man, is hitting .310 on the year. Many have believed that he could have been a potential trade chip entering the year, but with the Cardinals playing the way they have, it would make sense to keep the 28-year-old around.
However, this injury could be a potential issue for the Cardinals, whether they want to trade or keep him at the deadline.
According to MLB Insider John Denton, he felt pain in his left big toe and got an X-ray. Donovan noted that he couldn’t push off his back foot during his final at-bat before leaving the game.
“#STLCards LF/2B Brendan Donovan said his painful left big toe just started hurting him tonight. X-rays on the toe were negative, he said.
“Donovan said he could hardly push off his back foot during his final AB before leaving the game,” Denton wrote.
It still remains uncertain what the Cardinals’ plan will be at the trade deadline, but Donovan would be one of the more significant players they could move.
With multiple teams around the league looking for an infielder of his status, this would be a worst-case scenario.
After losing 10-9 against the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday night, the Cardinals sit at 36-31 and are right in the mix to win the National League Central.
Donovan was 0-3 on the night with one run scored before leaving late in the game.
