Josh Donaldson hits two home runs, drives in four for Yankees
The Yankees' Josh Donaldson runs the bases after his solo home run off Tigers pitcher Spencer Turnbull during the fourth inning of a spring training game Tuesday in Tampa, Fla. Credit: AP/Chris O'Meara
TAMPA, Fla. — Josh Donaldson hit two home runs and drove in four as the Yankees beat the Tigers on Tuesday at Steinbrenner Field, 6-3.
Donaldson, who came into the day batting .179 with one home run, hit a solo shot off the leftfield scoreboard in the fourth and a three-run blast to left in the sixth.
“He’s capable of that,” manager Aaron Boone said. “It’s absolutely still in there.”
Donaldson is due $29.75 million in salary and a 2024 buyout, so the Yankees have to hope the former MVP rebounds from his poor 2022.
Sevy’s start
After allowing a leadoff home run to Kerry Carpenter on the third pitch of the game, Luis Severino recovered to strike out nine in four innings (74 pitches).
Severino came into the game with a 10.64 ERA. He allowed two runs on four hits.
Severino’s lone walk was a pitch-clock violation when he took too long (or did he?) to deliver a pitch to Austin Meadows with the count 3-and-2 in the fourth.
A ball was called, Boone said, because the plate umpire’s timer buzzed even though there appeared to be two seconds left on the pitch clock.
“To me, it was a clear non-violation,” Boone said.
Said Severino: “That was stupid.”
Trevino back, then not, then back
Jose Trevino (0-for-2) returned from a right wrist sprain. Trevino was in the original lineup the Yankees posted Tuesday morning. The team then issued a new lineup with Carlos Narvaez catching. But Trevino was behind the plate when the game began.
“I think there was a misprint or some miscommunication” Trevino said.
Boone said he wasn’t 100% sure about Trevino playing until he saw the catcher go through batting practice about two hours before game time. So it seems as if the first posted lineup with Trevino in it was premature.
Shortstop battle update
Anthony Volpe (.308) went 1-for-2 with a double, walk and stolen base. Oswald Peraza did not play.
Anthony Rieber covers baseball, as well as the NFL, NBA and NHL. He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since July 5, 2004.
