“When it rains, it pours,” they say. The St. Louis Cardinals saw this personally during their 10-9 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays. Not only did the Redbirds fall short, but utility guy Brendan Donovan was injured, causing a significant loss.
Donovan was pulled from the game in the ninth inning with “left toe discomfort,” according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The severity of the situation is unknown, but the 28-year-old has been one of the Cardinals’ most consistent hitters this season, so his status is worth monitoring. Ryan Vilade replaced him in left field, and Yohel Pozo pinch hit in the following inning.
It is unclear how or when Donovan sustained his injuries. He was hit by a 71-mile-per-hour curveball from Blue Jays starter Chris Bassitt, but the pitch did not appear to get close his toe. Aside from that, it’s difficult to pinpoint another moment in the game that could have resulted in his injury.
Could rounding third on Alec Burleson’s single a few batters after being hit by Bassitt compound the problem? After all, that was Donovan’s only time on base. So, unless something happened while he was in left field, there aren’t many other options save a freak accident.
When it rains, it pours, they say. The St. Louis Cardinals learned that firsthand in their 10-9 defeat at the hands of the Toronto Blue Jays. Not only did the Redbirds fall short, but they also lost a key contributor to injury in utility man Brendan Donovan.
Donovan was removed from the game in the ninth inning due to “left toe discomfort,” according to Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The severity of the matter remains unclear, but the 28-year-old has been among the Cardinals’ most consistent hitters this season, so his status bears watching. Ryan Vilade replaced him in left field before Yohel Pozo served as the pinch hitter in the next frame.
Putting logistics aside, Donovan’s health (or lack thereof) is vital to the Cards’ success. He presently leads the club in WAR by a significant margin. His defensive flexibility and consistent offensive production have been huge for a St. Louis team that has outperformed expectations so far in 2025.
St. Louis cannot afford to be without Donovan for an extended period of time. They’re hoping to keep up with the first-place Chicago Cubs in the National League Central and/or remain in the Wild Card competition. If he is forced to miss action, doing either becomes an even more difficult task.
Donovan has slashed.310/.379/.440 in 248 at-bats this season, with 4 home runs and 26 RBIs and an OPS of.819. His 20 doubles are tied with New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso for second in the National League.