It's been a miserable start to the year for the Toronto Blue Jays. A team that many expected to contend in the AL East currently sits in the basement with the worst record in baseball and one of the lowest-scoring lineups. Injuries have crippled this team and after weeks of bad news, they need a glimmer of hope.

That came on Friday morning when manager John Gibbons shared some optimistic news on Josh Donaldson and Troy Tulowitzki. In an interview, Gibbons was hopeful the team's two top hitters could return from the disabled list early next week.

Donaldson will have missed three weeks since he aggravated his calf injury from spring training. Toronto played it cautiously with its MVP third baseman, but his return would mean he comes back without making a rehab assignment. Donaldson is currently at Toronto's spring training complex in Florida with Tulowitzki as the two work their way back from injuries.

Tulowitzki has spent the past two weeks on the disabled list with a strained right hamstring. Like Donaldson, he's at the Blue Jays ST complex as they work through various baseball activities to build themselves up for a potential return on Monday.

Before the injury, Donaldson put up outstanding numbers with a .310/.429/.586 slash line, 1.015 OPS, two home runs and six walks. He's still an MVP caliber bat and while many of the names in the lineup surrounding him have struggled, Donaldson could lift this offense and help turn around production. He could also see more walks given the struggles of hitters behind him.

Tulowitzki posted a 263/.295/.386 and .681 OPS in 57 at bats. Tulowitzki still offers some good pop and run production that make him a high-end fantasy shortstop, but he obviously isn't the same caliber of fantasy star he used to be and he has already shown this year that he carries major injury concerns.

When Tulowitzki and Donaldson returns, Ryan Goins and Darwin Barney will return to the bench.