Twins leave Donaldson off wild-card roster vs. Astros
The Minnesota Twins will be without an important member of the team during their three-game wild-card series against the Houston Astros.
Third baseman Josh Donaldson was left off the Twins' wild-card roster, which the team announced on Tuesday prior to their game at 2:08 p.m. ET.
He's on the team's taxi squad for the series, which means he can travel with the club, be a part of workouts, and serve as an injury replacement.
Donaldson sat out the final two games of the regular season after experiencing cramping in his right calf muscle.
The 34-year-old veteran slashed .222/.373/.469 with six home runs and 11 RBIs in 28 games during his first campaign with the Twins after signing a four-year, $92-million contract in January.
Minnesota's wild-card roster did include outfielder Byron Buxton. Buxton missed the final two games of the regular season due to concussion symptoms after he was hit by a pitch in the head.
Additionally, the Twins added outfield prospect Alex Kirilloff to the series roster. Kirilloff is the organization's No. 2-ranked prospect.