With Josh Donaldson, you get the whole package, like it or not
Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson celebrates in the dugout after hitting a home run against the Rays in the second inning at Yankee Stadium on Saturday. Credit: Noah K. Murray
Josh Donaldson wasn’t asked about the irony of using his legs for one of the Yankees’ more entertaining trips around the basepaths in Saturday’s therapeutic 10-3 victory over the Rays.
Big picture: The run itself, coming in the seventh inning of a blowout, was meaningless. But to see Donaldson go first to third on a single under the shortstop’s glove — diving headfirst just ahead of the throw — then stumbling and needing to swim the final few feet to the plate to score on a wild pitch (breaking his belt in the process) had to be a refreshing change for manager Aaron Boone.
Donaldson, you may remember, looked terrible earlier this week getting thrown out at second base when what he thought was a home run instead glanced off the leftfield wall. For the scuffling Yankees, a team with a crumbling division lead and beat-up roster, it was inexcusable behavior.
A day later, Donaldson went on paternity leave, and Boone assured everyone the matter had been discussed with him. The manager added that Donaldson is a gamer whose gritty effort is never in doubt.
Maybe so, but Donaldson did pretty much the same thing Saturday as the Yankees rallied for six runs in the first inning, a surge that began with seven straight singles.
This time Donaldson launched a high drive toward the short porch in right, flipped his bat, jogged and threw up his fist as he admired its flight. Sure enough, the ball kicked off the top edge of the wall and caromed back onto the field, leaving a bewildered Donaldson standing at first base. The umpires reviewed the play just to be certain, although it wasn’t really close, and Donaldson wound up with his second wall-scraping single this week.
“I was a little surprised,” he said. “But at the end of the day, you got to play the game. And that’s what we’re trying to do.”
In this case, it wasn’t nearly as egregious as the blunder against the Twins. Donaldson had two runners in front of him Saturday and both had to hold up to see if the ball might be caught, so he wasn’t going any further anyway.
Donaldson’s gaffe was easily shrugged off as the Yankees knocked out former teammate Corey Kluber that same inning. He also helped his cause by actually smacking one over the rightfield fence in the second inning — it went into the first row and he ran hard out of the box — a reminder that for all of his antics, Donaldson still is a more legitimate power threat than Ronald Guzman (demoted before Saturday’s game) or any of the other RailRiders currently occupying the clubhouse.
Only a few days earlier, against these same Rays at Tropicana Field, Donaldson ignited a benches-clearing incident for jawing about a 3-and-0 pitch that was a bit too high and tight for his liking. Saturday was his first game back from paternity leave, after welcoming new daughter Lily, and Donaldson made an immediate impact.
“He brought a lot of energy with him today,” Boone said. “I think guys fed off it a little bit. We need that — we need that from him. He’s a premium player when he’s going and we’ve got to continue to get that from him.”
Boone had to be relieved to write in Donaldson’s name in the cleanup spot after back-to-back days of Isiah Kiner-Falefa hitting fourth, and Guzman (four strikeouts, one rally-killing 3-2-3 double play on which he didn't run hard) before him. With Donaldson and Giancarlo Stanton returning Saturday to the starting lineup, Kiner-Falefa was dropped back to No. 7, and the Yankees crept closer to some semblance of normalcy as they wait for Anthony Rizzo (headaches) to potentially return toward the end of the upcoming week.
As far as Donaldson is concerned, Boone realizes by now it’s all part of the package with the former MVP. He was brought on board this offseason partly because of his ability to instigate opposing teams — Jameson Taillon described it Saturday as “an edge” — and that’s going to involve some styling on home runs, whether they clear the wall or not.
In subsequent at-bats after Saturday’s homer, Donaldson seemed to be kidding around with the bench, twice taking exaggerated turns rounding first base despite flying out and getting hit by a pitch. He also pumped his arms in a running motion as he glanced over at the dugout. Donaldson joked it had to do with him being dangerous on the basepaths, that he was going to “catch somebody sleeping eventually.”
Donaldson did make good on that threat in the seventh when Miguel Andujar’s hard grounder leaked into shallow center. He momentarily paused a few steps beyond second base but then went into overdrive as the Rays were slow to get to the ball. That hustle got him into position to score on the wild pitch, which didn’t really matter Saturday but definitely will be critical down the stretch. More important than the bat flips, that’s for sure.
Donaldson said the past few days, with the birth of Lily, “really put things into perspective.” He made a decision that he’s going to empty the tank upon his return to the Yankees. They got a glimpse of that Saturday, and he said more is coming.
“Just try to be myself,” Donaldson said. “And that’s normally who I am. Just trying to bring that energy for our team. Stay positive, stay in it. This is when baseball gets fun and you’ve got to enjoy it.”
With Donaldson, it’s never dull, that’s for sure.
David Lennon is an award-winning columnist, a voter for baseball's Hall of Fame and has covered six no-hitters, including two perfect games.
