The New York Yankees have essentially regretted acquiring Josh Donaldson almost from the moment he set foot on the diamond. They may have a way out.
Donaldson was placed on the Injured List on Saturday due to an injured right hamstring. The move is retroactive to April 6, and the Yankees feel that it is just minor tightness. In fact, they have not even bothered sending him for imaging to see how severe the injury is.
A chance for New York Yankees to move on from Josh Donaldson?
It is easy to say that Donaldson has been a disappointment during his time in New York. He has posted a .219/.304/.372 batting line in his 563 plate appearances since being acquired from the Twins, hitting 16 homers and 28 doubles. His defense has been excellent at the hot corner, but the Yankees need far more from his bat. There have been questions about how well he has fit into the clubhouse. And the Yankees taking on his salary allowed the Twins to land Carlos Correa, eventually re-signing him to a long term contract.
The Yankees also have options to replace him. Isiah Kiner-Falefa is not exactly a fan favourite, but he is a Gold Glove caliber third baseman. The Yankees have enough pieces, both on the major league roster and in the minors, to replace Donaldson. It is a matter of whether or not the Yankees decide to keep him around.
At this point, they might have their out, at least in terms of having him in the lineup. Hamstring injuries can be tricky, even if they are considered minor. It could be that he needs a bit more time on the IL than originally thought. And, if he returns and continues to struggle, maybe he tweaked something. Or they could just let him walk – it’s a sunk cost anyway.
The New York Yankees will be able to avoid putting Josh Donaldson in the lineup for a few days. They may be able to make that last longer.
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