The New York Yankees got a surprise defense from their former third baseman Josh Donaldson on social media. The ex-Yankee roasted an Orioles fan for comments against his former team.
Tensions flared during Friday’s game between the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles when pitcher Clay Holmes hit Orioles’ Heston Kjerstad in the head with a pitch in the ninth inning. The incident led to a bench-clearing confrontation and the ejection of Orioles manager Brandon Hyde.
The rivalry between these AL East teams extended to social media. A Baltimore fan criticized the Yankees’ dugout behavior following the hit-by-pitch, calling it unsportsmanlike and citing it as a reason for widespread dislike of the team. Former Yankees player Donaldson engaged him in a heated exchange.
Donaldson fired back, suggesting that the fan’s animosity was rooted in the Yankees‘ consistent success and resilience. He implied that the Orioles’ current success might be temporary, predicting that their top players would eventually join larger market teams like the Yankees, Dodgers, or Red Sox.
This exchange highlighted the intense rivalry between the two teams and their fan bases, extending beyond the field. Donaldson’s comments, despite his own struggles in pinstripes, underscored the ongoing competition and historical dynamics between these AL East franchises.
Revisiting Donaldson’s Yankees career
Josh Donaldson, a three-time All-Star third baseman, was the recipient of the 2015 American League Most Valuable Player Award. Over the course of 13 seasons in Major League Baseball, Donaldson showcased his prowess with a bat, compiling impressive statistics including a .261/.358/.489 batting line, 279 home runs, and a 46.8 Wins Above Replacement, according to Baseball Reference’s metrics.
His career was marked by a remarkable peak performance spanning from 2013 to 2016, during which he consistently averaged over seven WAR and 33 home runs per season while maintaining a batting average of .284/.375/.518. He donned the uniforms of seven different teams throughout his tenure in the league, including the Oakland Athletics, Toronto Blue Jays, Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, Atlanta Braves, Cleveland Guardians, and Milwaukee Brewers.
In a March 2022 trade transaction, the Yankees swapped infielder Gio Urshela and catcher Gary Sanchez for Donaldson, shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa, and catcher Ben Rortvedt. However, Donaldson’s lackluster performance at the plate over two seasons, accompanied by resounding boos from disillusioned fans, prompted the Yankees to part ways with him prematurely. He struggled in New York, amassing a mere .207 batting average along with a .678 OPS. His contributions included 25 home runs and 180 strikeouts in 666 plate appearances.
But his love for pinstripes is not lost yet.
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