MLB decided to suspend New York Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson one game for his role in the benches-clearing incident on Sunday in the game against the Chicago White Sox.
Donaldson admitted he called White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson “Jackie”, in reference to a 2019 interview in which he said he felt like today’s Jackie Robinson.
Donaldson said he thought it was an inside joke with Anderson and that he had said a similar thing to him in the past.
But Anderson and his teammates didn’t take it too kindly and felt disrespected.
The league said in a statement that Donaldson’s comment “was disrespectful and in poor judgment, particularly when viewed in the context of their prior interactions.”
Donaldson is appealing the suspension, but he is not going to be on the active roster for a few days regardless of MLB’s discipline.
Why?
Because he is currently on the COVID-19 list alongside Joey Gallo and Kyle Higashioka.
He Will Be Out For A Few Days
“Regarding Josh Donaldson, Joey Gallo & Kyle Higashioka (COVID-19 IL), Aaron Boone said that all three players are ‘more than just not feeling well; they feel sick. It’s not just allergies. They’re not available to play,'” Bryan Hoch, who covers the Yankees for MLB.com, tweeted on Tuesday.
Regarding Josh Donaldson, Joey Gallo & Kyle Higashioka (COVID-19 IL), Aaron Boone said that all three players are “more than just not feeling well; they feel sick. It’s not just allergies. They’re not available to play.”
— Bryan Hoch (@BryanHoch) May 23, 2022
For the look of things, it appears that the three players will be out for at least a while.
Their symptoms appear to be a bit more serious than the average person, so they will take a few days to get healthy, rest, and feel 100 percent.
Once that happens, they will rejoin the squad.
The Yankees have hit a bit of a rough patch in the last few days, but they are still first in the AL East.
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