BALTIMORE — Josh Donaldson feels it. The 36-year-old third baseman recognizes that it takes time for him to work his way into his swing. He understands that, now in his 12th year in the big leagues, he has to balance his career with rest to stay healthy. In the last five games, it seems like he’s worked his way into that zone.
Donaldson hit his fifth homer of the season in the Yankees’ 6-2 win over the Orioles at Camden Yards Monday night. It was his third home run in the last five games.
In the month of April, Donaldson hit .203/.329/.362 with two homers over 20 games. In the last 12 games, Donaldson hit .311/.404/.556 with a .959 OPS and three home runs.
“I feel like at the plate right now, I’ve been making pretty good decisions. When I get a good pitch to hit, I’m not missing it. Normally, that’s the difference,” Donaldson said. “And obviously with my swing, there’s movement that goes on in that and being able to be consistent with those moves is important for me. Obviously, the more at-bats that you get, it gets more consistent.
“The good thing is, I feel like (manager Aaron Boone) has been playing me to let me get to play defense a few days and then DH to let my body stay somewhat fresh,” Donaldson continued, “and still get broke in and I feel like that’s kind of where I’m at right now… I feel like I am breaking into that part of the season to where my body feels good day in and day out. Obviously with more at-bats I can get better.”
Donaldson is a nice fit into a lineup that is just rolling right now. He’s obviously contributing to the power show that they are putting up. After adding three homers on Monday night — from Donaldson, Anthony Rizzo and Jose Trevino — the Yankees led MLB with 52 homers.
He’s contributed 14 RBI to an offense that also led the American League East in RBI (164).
Donaldson’s played solid defense at third base, and as a player who doesn’t back down from challenges, he’s brought a little bit of an edge to a team that really didn’t have one.
The Yankees traded for Donaldson in a deal that also brought over shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa and minor league catcher Ben Rortvedt and sent catcher Gary Sanchez and third baseman Gio Urshela to the Twins.
Lost in the drama of Donaldson — who called out Gerrit Cole as the first pitcher whose stats showed the effects of MLB’s crackdown on pitchers’ uses of illegal sticky stuff — was that the Yankees were getting a veteran hitter who would bring an edge to the lineup.
Donaldson was the 2015 American league Most Valuable Player, a three-time All-Star and two time Silver Slugger Award winner. Donaldson came over as a career .269/.367/.505 hitter with 251 home runs in 1,201 career games over 11 Major League seasons. In 2021, he hit .247 with 26 homers and 72 RBI in 135 games with the Twins.
Donaldson, who had two years and $50 million owed on his contract with the Twins, also had battled injuries over the last two years.
So, he’s appreciated how Boone has factored in rest as a preemptive program to help him keep his swing consistent, but his body fresh.
“For me, I think so. Yeah. I mean, I know everybody has a different outlook on it. Some guys don’t like DH-ing,” Donaldson said. “And I understand that as well. Like for me and where I’m at, in my career that’s big for me to be able to do that.”
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