BOSTON — Josh Donaldson is hurting again.
The Blue Jays star third baseman, who has a history of calf problems, left Toronto's 8-3 loss to the Boston Red Sox in the fifth inning Monday with left calf tightness.
Donaldson, who had walked with one out, made it to third on a Justin Smoak double but covered the distance gingerly. After talking to the team trainer, he gave way to pinch runner Gio Urshela.
Manager John Gibbons said Donaldson would be evaluated Tuesday to determine the severity of the injury.
"That's the way the game goes. You deal with it," Gibbons said. "Whether you like it or not, you deal with it."
The 32-year-old Donaldson, who has already spent time on the disabled list this season with a shoulder injury, was sidelined with a right calf injury at the beginning of the 2017 season. At the time the 2015 AL MVP said he had played through unrelated flare-ups of the calf injury during the 2016 campaign.
Donaldson, who singled and walked twice Monday prior to leaving the game, is batting .228 with five home runs 16 RBIs in 35 games this season.
Toronto (25-29) is already without the injured Aledmys Diaz (ankle), Randal Grichuk (knee), Steve Pearce (oblique), Marcus Stroman (shoulder) and Troy Tulowitzki (foot).
The Jays gave catcher Russell Martin a first career start in left field Monday.
The Canadian Press