New York Yankees had high hopes for 13-year MLB veteran Josh Donaldson when they acquired him in 2022. After all, he had a career OPS of .850 and was soon going to breach the 300 home runs mark. However, the age factor got the better of him. His time in the Bronx has been awful so far. Last season, the third baseman was the only underperforming batter in the heavyweight hitting lineup.
And sadly, the situation just got worse in 2023. After recording a .125 average across 16 at-bats, Josh Donaldson went down with a hamstring injury which resulted in a six-week-long absence. He returned on June 2 and immediately exploded with two homers in the very first game. But despite these rare bursts, his overall average is as low as .143 with .668 OPS. Hence, it’s time for the Yankees to pull the plug just like they did with Aaron Hicks last month. But is there room for a trade?
Mets Ready To Take In Josh Donaldson! But There Is A Catch
The New York Yankees have tried to trade away third baseman Josh Donaldson in the past. But the infielder is sitting on a $21 million contract per season at the age of 37. Hence, no team, rightfully so, wants to have such baggage that too for a heavy price. Naturally, the Bronx Bombers are stuck with the former MVP for at least this season. Because earlier, Donaldson claimed that he was not too keen on playing in the 2024 season. So overall, it’s wise for the Yankees to cut him off right now and save up some money for the trade deadline and also for next year’s free agency.
Meanwhile, if a few rumors are to be believed, New York Mets have lent a helping hand to their city rivals, the Yankees. The world around the market is that the Mets are ready to take in Josh Donaldson during the trade deadline. But there is a catch. The Mets will only accept the baseman if the Bombers send reliever Ian Hamilton in the package. This is impossible, as Hamilton has been the team’s standout reliever of the season. Another option is trading Donaldson to Washington Nationals for third baseman Jeimer Candelario. However, the asking price for Jeimer is likely to be high. Hence, both trades will likely be a little risky for the Yankees, but to cut off the baggage, they will have to pay a hefty price.
Yankees Bench Josh Donaldson Amid Slump! Baseman Left Highly Unimpressed
In the middle of a form slump, Yankees management decided to bench veteran third baseman Josh Donaldson not for one but three consecutive games. The decision left the baseman fuming. He marched into the manager’s office to seek an explanation from Aaron Boone. The meeting lasted 45 minutes, and Donaldson didn’t look satisfied after coming out of the office.
However, after the race, the baseman clarified that it is not that unusual for him to talk with manager Aaron Boone. He was just amazed by the decision as he had never been snubbed like this ever before when healthy. But all is well between the duo, and they are on the same page. The baseman also ended up blaming the media for cooking up false speculations.