Josh Donaldson’s arm is not quite in midseason form

Pitchers sometimes still need to ramp up on Opening Day, but Josh Donaldson has put himself in that category too.

Josh Donaldson is one of the most prolific offensive third baseman out there, with averages of 33 home runs and 98 RBI per season over the last five campaigns. He is not a Gold Glove caliber defensive player, but he’s adequate with a career Defensive WAR of 7.5.

Pitching is often ahead of hitting early in a baseball season, even as starters ramp up to what a typical pitch count will be for most of the season. Position players having to similarly ramp up their throwing is surely a thing to be worked out in spring training, but Donaldson appears to have some work to do.

Here’s a couple solid defensive plays Donaldson made on Thursday against the New York Yankees, and the subsequent throws that were not worthy follow-ups to the glove work.

To be fair, both throws basically found their target. But the first one was woefully short, with a long bounce off the Rogers Centre turf and a slow runner in Yankees’ catcher Gary Sanchez doing Donaldson favors. On the second throw, Donaldson looks stiff, inviting questions about the condition of his shoulder.

Blue Jays broadcaster Buck Martinez cited Donaldson having “problems with his arm all throughout the spring.” Donaldson backed that up after the game, with he and manager John Gibbons each describing an affliction most common to pitchers.

Donaldson only played in 13 spring games, as he dealt with a calf issue, with four hits in 27 at-bats. He missed time early last season with a right calf injury, so caution was clearly the word to make sure Donaldson was good to go for Opening Day.

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Donaldson seemed to be moving and covering ground just fine defensively on Thursday. But his arm was another matter entirely, and if he doesn’t get right quickly it won’t be long before opponents are testing him with some bunt attempts.