Rick Zamperin: Simply put, Blue Jays whiffed on Josh Donaldson deal

It was a good run while it lasted, eh, Blue Jays fans?

This franchise is in a world of hurt.

And it’s not because of the way Toronto’s front office has jerked around 2015 American League MVP Josh Donaldson.

OK, that’s part of the equation, but not the sole reason that I think the Blue Jays are heading for a long period of mediocre baseball.

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Donaldson, 32, has begun a rehab assignment with High-A Dunedin after suffering a calf injury in May that has cost him the majority of the 2018 MLB season.

On Wednesday, he was placed on revocable waivers which triggered a 48-hour window to complete a trade for the slugging 3rd baseman.

Whether he leaves the Jays’ nest now or this offseason, Toronto missed a real opportunity to get some good prospects in a trade for Donaldson.

Team president Mark Shapiro and general manager Ross Atkins must have known way back in the spring that they had no chance of making the playoffs this year and were planning to unload Donaldson at the trade deadline, right?

Otherwise, they would have been wise to deal him last offseason.

Highly touted prospects Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette will be in Toronto sooner rather than later, but two players don’t make a team into a championship contender.

If the front office continues to misfire on opportunities to improve the roster then this franchise will be in trouble for a long while.