Cardinals' Brendan Donovan: Begins throwing program
Rotowire
Donovan (elbow) has begun a throwing program at the Cardinals' spring training complex in Florida, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
Donovan is coming along in his rehab after undergoing flexor tendon surgery in August. The expectation is that he will be ready to roll once spring training arrives. Donovan is expected to be a regular again for the Cardinals in 2024, although it might not necessarily be at a set position.
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Cardinals' Brendan Donovan: Moves to 60-day IL
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The Cardinals transferred Donovan (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Friday, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
Donovan underwent season-ending surgery in August to repair the flexor strain in his right elbow, so a move to the 60-day IL was expected. His spot on the 40-man roster will be filled by Ryan Helsley (forearm), who came off the 60-day injured list Friday.
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Cardinals' Brendan Donovan: Placed on 10-day IL
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The Cardinals placed Donovan on the 10-day injured list Tuesday with a right elbow strain.
The move to the IL comes as little surprise after manager Oliver Marmol said earlier in the day that Donovan will undergo season-ending surgery Wednesday to repair a torn flexor in his right (throwing) arm. Tommy Edman (wrist) was reinstated from the 10-day IL in a corresponding move.
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Cardinals' Brendan Donovan: Not in lineup Tuesday
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Donovan is not in the lineup Tuesday versus the Twins.
Donovan still can't throw due to a flexor strain and Jordan Walker is taking a turn as the Cardinals' designated hitter Tuesday against Minnesota. Taylor Motter will play second base with Nolan Gorman (back) also still sidelined.
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Cardinals' Brendan Donovan: Not starting Sunday
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Donovan is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cubs, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Donovan will continue to see regular rest days while limited to DH duties due to flexor strain, and he'll sit Sunday for the second time in the past three games. Paul Goldschmidt will rest his legs at designated hitter while Alec Burleson starts at first base.
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Cardinals' Brendan Donovan: Sitting Friday
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Donovan isn't in the Cardinals' lineup Friday against the Cubs, Lynn Worthy of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports.
After going 0-for-5 at the plate Thursday, Donovan will take a seat for the beginning of Friday's contest. Willson Contreras will take over as the Cardinals' designated hitter, allowing Andrew Knizner to start behind the dish and bat eighth.
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Cardinals' Brendan Donovan: Racks up three hits
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Donovan went 3-for-5 with two runs scored in Monday's 10-6 win over the Diamondbacks.
After being out of the lineup from Thursday to Saturday, Donovan has checked back in for each of the last two games. While his persistent flexor strain continues to limit him to designated hitter, he could find himself out of the lineup when other players need to rest their legs. Donovan has gone 10-for-32 (.313) since the All-Star break, and he has a .287/.371/.430 slash line with 11 home runs, 34 RBI, 44 runs scored and four stolen bases over 90 contests this season.
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Cardinals' Brendan Donovan: Not in Saturday's lineup
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Donovan remains on the bench for Saturday's game against the Cubs.
Donovan hasn't taken the field since late June while dealing with a flexor strain, but he's made 10 starts as a designated hitter since then, with his 1.042 OPS indicating that the issue seemingly affects only his ability to throw, not hit. He's nonetheless been stuck on the bench for three straight days, first due to a doctor's visit and then due to a pair of matchups against southpaws. (Righty Michael Fulmer will be the first pitcher on the mound for Chicago on Saturday, but lefty Drew Smyly is expected to handle the bulk innings.) Nolan Arenado will fill the DH spot, with Jose Fermin starting at the hot corner.
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Cardinals' Brendan Donovan: Return to field still uncertain
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Donovan has no firm date for resuming defensive duties following a visit with an arm specialist in Dallas on Thursday, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
Donovan has been limited to designated hitter duty for the entirety of July because of a right flexor strain. He'll be shut down from throwing for at least another two weeks and it's not clear when, or if, he'll be allowed to play defense again this season. "I don't have a direction we want to go yet," Donovan said. "We're just kind of figuring out the direction [the specialist] wants us to go." Donovan didn't play Thursday while traveling for his doctor's visit and isn't starting Friday versus a lefty, but he should be back at DH sometime over the weekend.
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Cardinals' Brendan Donovan: Sitting versus southpaw
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Donovan is not in the starting lineup Friday versus the Cubs, Katie Woo of The Athletic reports.
Donovan will take a seat as the Cardinals face off with southpaw Justin Steele on Friday. Jose Fermin will draw the start at second base and bat ninth as St. Louis attempts to extend its win streak to seven straight.
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Cardinals' Brendan Donovan: On bench Thursday
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Donovan is not in the lineup Thursday against the Cubs.
Donovan continues to be limited to DH duties because of arm fatigue, and the Cardinals will roll with Paul Goldschmidt in that spot Thursday as Alec Burleson handles first base. Donovan is expected to be able to return to the field sometime early next week.
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Cardinals' Brendan Donovan: Drives in five Saturday
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Donovan went 2-for-8 with a home run, a triple, five RBI and two runs scored across both halves of Saturday's doubleheader versus the Nationals.
Donovan supplied a game-tying homer after play resumed from Friday's suspended contest. In the nightcap, he added a two-run triple in the second inning. The versatile 26-year-old has been hampered by an arm injury lately, which has limited him to designated hitter, but his bat has been too good to come out of the lineup. He's gone 12-for-33 (.364) over nine contests since he was cleared to return as the DH. Donovan is slashing .282/.367/.411 with nine home runs, 29 RBI, 38 runs scored and four stolen bases through 83 games this season.
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Cardinals' Brendan Donovan: Out of Sunday's lineup
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Donovan is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the White Sox, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
The 26-year-old has been limited to serving as St. Louis' designated hitter over the past week while dealing with arm pain, though he's still found plenty of success at the plate with a 1.004 OPS in his last eight contests. Donovan is scheduled to start a throwing program during the All-Star break, per Jones, though it'll likely be at least a couple more weeks before he's potentially cleared to play in the field.
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Cardinals' Brendan Donovan: Another three-hit game
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Donovoan went 3-for-5 in Friday's 8-7 loss to the White Sox.
Donovan has a trio of three-hit efforts over his first five games in July. He remains stuck at designated hitter due to a no-throw program to mitigate his arm soreness. His bat's been too hot to keep out of the lineup even with the injury. Donovan owns a strong .289/.375/.415 slash line with nine home runs, 26 RBI, 37 runs scored and four stolen bases over 79 contests.
Donovan went 3-for-5 in Wednesday's 10-9 loss to the Marlins.
Donovan racked up three singles while serving as the designated hitter, as arm soreness will prevent him from playing the field until after the All-Star break. The 26-year-old's hitting hasn't been negatively impacted by the arm issue thus far -- he's 10-for-18 over his last five games. His defensive versatility usually helps to keep him in the lineup, so it's unclear how often he'll be in the lineup over the next four days before the break. He's slashing a steady .288/.378/.419 through 77 contests this season.
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Cardinals' Brendan Donovan: At leadoff Wednesday
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Donovan (arm) is serving as the Cardinals' designated hitter and batting leadoff Wednesday versus the Marlins.
Donovan will be on a no-throw program through the All-Star break as he battles through some arm pain, but he's able to swing the bat without issue and will function as the Cardinals' tablesetter Wednesday in Miami. Nolan Gorman is covering second base and batting sixth.
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Cardinals' Brendan Donovan: Sitting against left-hander
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Donovan is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game in Miami, John Denton of MLB.com reports.
The Cardinals are facing a left-hander for the second day in a row, but Donovan has now sat out four of the last five contests while dealing with an arm issue. However, there's been no indication to this point that it could be an injured list situation.
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Cardinals' Brendan Donovan: Idle versus lefty
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Donovan is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Marlins.
Donovan previously sat out both ends of a doubleheader Saturday against the Yankees while battling an arm injury, but he returned to the lineup for Sunday's 5-1 win over New York and went 3-for-4 with a home run. The Cardinals haven't indicated that he suffered a setback during that contest, so the lefty-hitting Donovan's absence from the lineup Monday likely has more to do with the fact that the Marlins are bringing southpaw Braxton Garrett to the hill.
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Cardinals' Brendan Donovan: Out again
Rotowire
Donovan (arm) remains out for the second game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Yankees.
Donovan was scratched from Friday's lineup with arm soreness -- the game was ultimately postponed -- and has missed both games of Saturday's doubleheader. The team announced he wouldn't be able to field a position for a few days, though he was expected to be available to serve as the designated hitter.
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Cardinals' Brendan Donovan: Sitting for afternoon game
Rotowire
Donovan (arm) is on the bench for the first game of Saturday's doubleheader against the Yankees, Jeff Jones of the Belleville News-Democrat reports.
Donovan was expected to sit Friday due to arm soreness, though the game wound up getting rained out. He'll be out for at least the afternoon portion of Saturday's twin bill, but his injury only prevents him from throwing, so he could still serve as a designated hitter or pinch hitter at some point in one of the day's two games. Nolan Gorman starts at second base.
