ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — Josh Donaldson has drawn the ire of everyone from Tim Anderson to Aaron Judge to Aaron Boone for repeatedly calling the White Sox shortstop “Jackie.”
On Thursday, the Yankees third baseman said he and Anderson “now have a mutual understanding” on the matter, suggesting his days of calling Anderson “Jackie” were over.
Donaldson’s statement came after Anderson said in Chicago on Tuesday that he told Donaldson the two ‘should never speak to each other again’ after Donaldson first brought up the Jackie Robinson reference in a match. shortly after Anderson called himself the “new Jackie Robinson” in a Sports Illustrated article in 2019.
Anderson made it clear there was no joke between the two, as Donaldson initially said when explaining his actions, which has led to multiple bench-clearing incidents over the past two weeks between the two. Yankees and the White Sox.
Donaldson was suspended for one game by MLB for “making inappropriate comments”. He is appealing the decision, but was on COVID IL on Monday. The call will be heard when it leaves the IL.
According to a source, the Yankees are not considering additional sanctions for Donaldson.
In his statement, Donaldson said: “First and foremost, I have the utmost respect for what Tim Anderson brings to the game of baseball. I said over the weekend that I apologize for ‘offended Tim and that it was a misunderstanding based on multiple exchanges between us over the years. My view of this exchange has not changed and I meant no disrespect in any way. In the past, this has not had never been a problem and now that it is, we have a mutual understanding.
“I would also like to apologize to Ms Rachel Robinson and the Jackie Robinson family for any distress this incident may have caused. Jackie was a true American hero and I hold his name in high regard.
Initially, Donaldson said he was trying to defuse tensions between the two after they nearly came to blows when the teams met in Chicago earlier this month.
After Boone slammed Donaldson for making the comment, Judge made it clear he wasn’t happy with the third baseman.
“Joke or not, I don’t think it’s the right thing to do there,” Judge said of Donaldson’s actions toward Anderson. “Given the history, especially the series in Chicago and the bit of beef between Anderson and [Donaldson]. Anderson is one of the best shortstops in the game and is a big part of MLB and how we can grow the game…He made a mistake, admitted it and we have to move on.