(Minneapolis) Minnesota Twins third baseman Josh Donaldson will miss the first round of the playoffs against the Houston Astros with a right calf injury.

Donaldson has missed 30 games this season due to strained muscles and only returned to the game on September 2. However, he was withdrawn from last Friday's game in the first set due to cramps.

The American's 2015 MVP trained with her teammates on Monday, but he was still in pain and was unable to put the full weight on his leg.

To replace him in training, the Twins have included rookie Alex Kirilloff.

The Twins' first choice in the 2016 draft, Kirilloff has never moved beyond level AA. However, he showed he was ready to take the leap with a strong performance at the team's training site this summer.

Kirilloff can play in left and right fields in addition to the first cushion, giving manager Rocco Baldelli more flexibility in Donaldson's absence.