Recently, Josh Donaldson and Aaron Boone reportedly clarified why they benched him for the third straight game. According to Boone, he plans to play a lot with the much-maligned and struggling third baseman in the future. However, if Donaldson is really complaining about his playing time, I suggest he look at his stats this year. So far in 2023, Donaldson has been one of the least productive players on the team and is starting to be an unproductive distraction. My suggestion to Josh Donaldson is that he keep his head down and focus on turning his season around to help the Yankees win.
A horrible first season
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Donaldson arrived last year in a trade that sent Gary Sanchez and the popular Gio Urshela to the Minnesota Twins. Although he was reliable defensively; Offensively, the former MVP struggled during his first season in New York. He slashed .222/.308/.374 with 15 home runs and 62 RBIs and only had a .682 OPS. Plus, he only made contact on 75.5 percent of all the pitches he swung at in the strike zone, the lowest percentage in the league. A significant drop in production that he’s had throughout his career.
A potentially even tougher second season
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While he missed a portion of the season with a strained hamstring, this season has been arguably worse. So far in 2023, Donaldson is slashing .125/.197/.406 with six home runs and eight RBIs and posting an OPS of just .603. Donaldson’s struggles have drawn the ire of Yankees fans everywhere. Heck, the boos have been much louder than ever for Aaron Hicks.
Donaldson drama
Recently, Aaron Boone was late for a pregame press conference due to a meeting he was having with Donaldson. It should be noted that the Yankees had not put the three-time All-Star in the lineup for three straight games. Donaldson himself brushed off the media deluge before heading to Boone’s office. Many people began to speculate that the 37-year-old’s time in the Bronx was finally coming to an end. However, after walking out of this meeting, Boone described it as an “important conversation that went on a long time.” This meant that Donaldson was going to stay in pinstripes for now.
Step up, Bud.
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Donaldson really needs to get him going offensively. Aaron Judge has been out since early June with a toe injury and the Yankees still don’t have a timeline for his return. Judge’s absence leaves a giant hole in the lineup, making it all the more important for Donaldson to get his bat going. Given how much the Yankees have been struggling offensively without Judge, Donaldson better try to find ways to help this team win.
There is nothing worse on a team than a player who is unproductive and causes unnecessary drama. If Josh Donaldson is smart, he’ll put his head down and try to figure things out offensively. While he may be past his prime, that’s no excuse for being a distraction and an unproductive player. Given all the injuries this season, an unfocused Donaldson is the last thing this team needs. My advice to Josh Donaldson is to put your head down and just work.
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