Unwavering Faith: Yankees Coach Believes in Josh Donaldson’s Bounce-Back Season

By | Niranjan Bhargav 7 Feb, 2023

The New York Yankees’ unwavering support for Josh Donaldson is causing frustration among fans

The New York Yankees have made it clear that they have faith in Josh Donaldson, despite his disappointing performance in the previous season. Despite hitting just .222 with 15 home runs and a .682 OPS in 132 games, the team’s hitting coach Dillon Lawson told The Athletic that he still believes Donaldson has the ability to be productive at the plate.

Lawson stated, “It says a lot about him as a person that he is still motivated after having such a long career and having committed offensive acts that you are aware of. … He will definitely have this comeback season, in my opinion.” The Yankees seem to have little choice but to stick with Donaldson, as General Manager Brian Cashman has repeatedly stated that he will return as the team’s starting third baseman.

Despite his struggles, Donaldson’s $25 million salary for the 2023 season makes it difficult to trade him, leaving the Yankees with no choice but to keep him on the roster. Donaldson played in all nine of the Yankees‘ playoff games, hitting just .172/.333/.207 with no RBIs and 16 strikeouts in 29 at-bats.

Donaldson, a former 2015 AL MVP award winner, has played for five different teams since the 2018 season and was once a dominant force at the plate with an OPS north of .827 in four straight seasons. While his performance with the Yankees last season was far from his MVP days, the team’s unwavering faith in the veteran third baseman could pay off in the 2023 season.

Whether or not this faith will translate into performance remains to be seen, but it’s clear that the Yankees believe in Donaldson’s ability to bounce back and contribute to the team’s success. Only time will tell if this faith will be justified, but for now, the Yankees and their fans can only hope for the best.