Recently, Josh Donaldson and Aaron Boone supposedly cleared the air on why he was benched for a third straight game. According to Boone, he plans to play the much-maligned and struggling third baseman a lot going forward. 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 to keep his head down and focus on turning his season around help the Yankees win.
A Horrendous First Season
Embed from Getty ImagesDonaldson came over last year in a trade that sent Gary Sanchez and the popular Gio Urshela to the Minnesota Twins. While he was dependable defensively; offensively, the former MVP struggled during his first season in New York. He had a slash line of .222/.308/.374 with 15 home runs and 62 RBI and only had an OPS of .682. He also only made contact on 75.5 percent of all pitches he swung at in the strike zone, the lowest percentage in the league. A significant drop-off from the production he’s had throughout his career.
A Potentially Even Rougher Second Season
Embed from Getty ImagesWhile 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 RBI and registering an OPS of just .603. Donaldson’s struggles have been drawing the ire of Yankee fans everywhere. Heck, the booing has been much louder than it ever was for Aaron Hicks.
Donaldson Drama
Recently, Aaron Boone was late to a pregame press conference due to a meeting he was having with Donaldson. It should be noted that the Yankees hadn’t put the three-time All-Star in the lineup for three straight games. Donaldson himself blew off the media scrum earlier before heading into 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 emerging from this meeting, Boone described it as an “important conversation that happened to run long.” This meant that Donaldson was going to remain in pinstripes for now.
Step It Up, Bud
Embed from Getty ImagesDonaldson really needs to get it going offensively. Aaron Judge has been out since early June with a toe injury and the Yankees still have no timetable for his return. The absence of Judge leaves a giant hole in the lineup, this makes it even more important for Donaldson to get his bat going. Given how much the Yankees have been struggling offensively without Judge, Donaldson is best off trying to figure out ways to help this team win.
There is nothing worse on a team than a player who is unproductive and causing unnecessary drama. If Josh Donaldson is smart, he’ll just put his head down and try to figure things out offensively. While he may be past his prime, that’s no excuse to be a distraction and an unproductive player. Given all the injuries this season, an unfocused Donaldson is the last thing this team needs. My advice for Josh Donaldson is to put your head down and just work.
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