"He was underneath a lot of things to start out with, and out front," Hollander said.
"His timing was just off, and really got locked in the last three or four days of the rehab assignment.
We didn't need him locked in on Day 1 of the rehab assignment.
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We were more focused on how he was moving and how he was feeling, and then by the time we got through the rehab, I think we saw him back to himself."
Media coverage highlighted the importance of Donovan's return for an offense averaging 4.0 runs per game this season.
Color analyst Ryan Rowland-Smith called it a "huge boost" and noted that Donovan's contact-oriented approach could help the team make a strong case at the trade deadline.
"Look, (it’s) a huge boost to the offense," Rowland-Smith said.
"You (could) get him right before you’re trying to prove to the front office that, hey, we want you to go hard here at the trade deadline.
Don’t make these kind of mid-range, we’ll see how this goes, this might give you a little boost here (type of moves).
If you wanna go all in like they did with (Eugenio Suárez) and Josh Naylor last year, you gotta show something from in house.
So, I think Brendan Donovan adds to that."
Rowland-Smith emphasized that Donovan's skill set—good at-bats and good contact—makes it easier for him to make an immediate impact compared to power hitters who rely on timing.
