TORONTO – Protecting their MVP investment, the Toronto Blue Jays shifted third baseman Josh Donaldson to designated hitter for their home opener Friday night.

The reigning American League MVP was taken out of Wednesday’s game in the seventh inning in Tampa because of a calf strain and did participate in Thursday’s on-field workouts at Rogers Centre.

Toronto inserted Darwin Barney at third base and moved normal DH Edwin Encarnacion to first base.

Manager John Gibbons called the Donaldson move the smart thing to do.

“We don’t want that thing to blow on him or aggravate it any more,” he said prior to the game against the Boston Red Sox. “This way we still get his offence in the lineup. (Pitcher Marcus Stroman) Stro throws a ground ball or two so there might be pretty good action over there (at third). Barney’s a really good defender.

“It’s not the way we want to set the lineup tonight but we’re thinking long-term too.”

Gibbons said Donaldson at DH was day-to-day.

Donaldson was honoured before the game with three giant letters spelling MVP set behind second base. George Bell, the only other Jay to wins MVP honours (in 1987) presented him with his award.

Donaldson also got a standing ovation from the sold-out crowd while fans in centre field held up MVP placards.

Left-fielder Michael Saunders (hamstring) was also in the starting lineup.