Josh Donaldson, the veteran third baseman for the New York Yankees’ struggles earlier in the season were evident. He struggled to find his rhythm at the plate and failed to produce the expected offensive numbers. On top of that, unfortunate injury concerns derailed his supposed comeback this season.
Just a few weeks ago, Josh Donaldson was reinstated from IL after recovering from a hamstring injury. However, his long-lost form was nowhere to be found. In the past 15 games, the baseman’s batting average has dropped below .150. Hence, the Yankees were left with no choice but to bench the veteran for a short period so that he could gather himself together. The break seems to have worked, but whether or not it will last remains the burning question.
Josh Donaldson Hits A Homer Right After Coming Off The Bench!
Third baseman Josh Donaldson has enjoyed a lot of backing from the Yankees front office since he joined the team. However, the team’s endurance levels reached max last week as they had to bench Donaldson for three consecutive games. The baseman looked quite miffed with the snub as he barged into the manager’s office for a long conversation with Aaron Boone. Meanwhile, Donaldson returned to the lineup on Tuesday against the Athletics and immediately left the mark. He scored a solo homer and the team’s only run of the game in the fifth inning off right-hand pitcher Paul Blackburn.
Josh Donaldson has hit first hit of the season with runners in scoring position (1-16) and the Yanks now lead 10-0 pic.twitter.com/B38w64Pg8f
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) June 29, 2023
After the game, Josh Donaldson said he has felt a lot better on the plate since he returned from IL. While last week was tough, the baseman is happy with the approach and will continue to follow it for the season, which could probably be his last. Nevertheless, Josh is focused on making a difference right now, especially at a time when the team needs him the most. With Aaron Judge on IL, the offense is under a lot of pressure to go out of the way and perform. Moreover, as a veteran, Donaldson’s responsibilities add up during such unusual circumstances. How long will this form resurgence last? No one knows. But the early signs look promising, and the Yankees would be happy to squeeze out as little as they can off a 37-year-old baseman, Josh Donaldson.
“There’s Still A Lot Of Life Left In Him,” Aaron Boone Continues To Back Donaldson
Josh Donaldson’s comeback on Tuesday against Athletics did not sit well with fans. However, the Yankees manager, Aaron Boone, still has a lot of faith in the veteran. Applauding the baseman’s homer on Tuesday, Boone said there still is much life left in his bat. Not only that, Josh Donaldson still possesses sufficient speed, power, and defense at the third base. Hence, the skipper hopes Josh continues carrying the momentum forward and performing to the best of his capabilities.
Aaron Boone further clarified that the three-game snub was meant to help his reset. He still is very much in the team’s game plan for the rest of the season. Also, Josh Donaldson will play actively for this week’s road trip. The skipper admitted that the team wants to give Josh enough chances before pulling the plug. The whole decision-making unit believes that the veteran still has some juice left and can very well contribute to the team. It remains to be seen if the Yankees are actually being reasonable or just delusional.
