Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson has received a one-game suspension and fine for his altercation with White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson on Saturday. Donaldson, who the Yankees placed on the COVID-19 injured list Monday, will appeal.
In Saturday’s 7-5 win over Chicago, Donaldson and Anderson passed each other on the field between innings and exchanged words. It was later learned Donaldson said, “What’s up, Jackie?” to Anderson, allegedly referencing a 2019 interview in which the young shortstop compared himself to Jackie Robinson. White Sox manager Tony LaRussa said Donaldson’s comments were racist after the incident.
Major League Baseball called Donaldson’s comments “disrespectful and in poor judgement” in a statement announcing its decision.
MLB release on Josh Donaldson’s one-game suspension: pic.twitter.com/KCyua7cXTA
— Lindsey Adler (@lindseyadler) May 23, 2022
This isn’t the first time Anderson and Donaldson have feuded this year. The Yankees were in Chicago earlier this month and the two had a minor dustup on an attempted pickoff.
Things took a more intense turn last weekend. Donaldson came up to bat and a conversation with White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal turned into a bench-clearing altercation. No punches were thrown, but the tension between both teams could be cut with a knife.
MLB has now investigated the matter. A one-game suspension would suggest commissioner Rob Manfred and his team saw smoke, but not too much fire. Donaldson has long had a reputation for being a trash-talker and this is the latest chapter of such. Ahead of Sunday’s doubleheader, Yankees manager Aaron Boone, who called to “stop the jawing back and forth” after Saturday, weighed in as well.
““Josh has been very forthcoming with the history of it and the context of it. So I don’t believe there was any malicious intent in that regard,” Boone said. “But you know, this is — just in my opinion — somewhere he should not be going.”
