The Yankees announced earlier today that third baseman Josh Donaldson had been placed on the 10-day IL with a right calf strain. In a corresponding move, infielder Oswald Peraza was recalled from Triple-A.
It’s been a difficult year of Donaldson, who missed nearly two months with a right hamstring strain and has struggled at the plate even when healthy, with a .142/.225/.434 slash line in 120 plate appearances, good for a wRC+ of just 75. Those brutal offense numbers don’t tell the whole story, as Donaldson has still managed to hit for power with an impressive .292 ISO and a whopping 19.7% barrel rate. Additionally, the veteran sports a microscopic BABIP of .076 that is surely contributing to his woeful batting average. While some of that can be explained by a career-low 7.9% line drive rate, it seems reasonable to expect that Donaldson’s performance would level out over time with more of his batted balls falling in for hits.
Unfortunately for Donaldson, any hopes of turning his season around will have to be put on hold for the foreseeable future as he heads to the shelf with a calf injury. A timetable for Donaldson’s return has not been made available, but the veteran infielder has dealt with calf issues previously in his career, including missing a month with a right calf strain in 2020 with the Twins and left calf issues that limited him to just sixteen games after the end of May in 2018.
Replacing Donaldson on the roster is Peraza, who entered the 2023 campaign as a top-50 prospect in the sport. In 12 games in the majors this season the 23 year old has managed a slash line of just .188/.316/.219, though he’s posted a much stronger .261/.352/.495 line in 45 games at the Triple-A level. Though he’s yet to receive an extended opportunity at the big league level, it’s possible that’s about to change, as Aaron Boone told reporters (including Chris Kirschner of The Athletic) that “there should be plenty of playing time for him” around the infield, with Peraza able to play both second and third base in addition to his natural position of shortstop.
In more positive injury news, GM Brian Cashman told MLBNetwork’s Jim Bowden on the radio today that star outfielder Aaron Judge is making progress in his rehab, with things “moving in the right direction” regarding both his hitting and his running. While no specific timetable for return was addressed, Cashman noted that the club will have a better idea of when Judge will be ready to return to action after the club’s current road trip, which is set to end on Friday.
The possibility of Judge nearing a return is phenomenal news for the Yankees, who have gone just 15-18 since losing the reigning AL MVP at the start of June. In 49 games this season, Judge has slashed a sensational .291/.404/.674 that’s good for a whopping 188 wRC+. With Judge on the shelf, the club is currently relying on the likes of Isiah-Kiner Falefa, Billy McKinney, Oswaldo Cabrera, and Franchy Cordero in the outfield corners with Giancarlo Stanton at DH and Harrison Bader in center field.
Hopefully this is the end for Donaldson
The end for Donaldson happened once he was traded to the Yankees
No, that was the end for the Yankees
In New York they’re either going to love you or hate you.
Guess which category Donaldson falls under…
Seriously tho it’s kind of comical how many Yankee fans hate on Donaldson instead of Cashman on this one. Donaldson was borderline washed up when he went to Atlanta. Atlanta was smart and didn’t give him a long term deal like the Twins did. Donaldson was a gamble when the Braves signed him to that one year deal. Yankees made a gamble with worse odds and lost the bet.
Fret not soco. There’s hate enough to go around. We Yankees fans are quite fed up with Cashman.
That is for sure. We can dislike more than one person on the yankees.
No you’re absolutely right. Only Cashman can explain what was going through his head at the time of that trade. For the rest of us it remains a mystery.
Let me help with that.
1) Sanchez stinks at the plate and behind it.
2) Urshela is poor defensively and is medicore at the plate, at best.
3) Donaldson was a very good hitter in 2021 and metrics said he was unlucky.
4) We need a shortstop.
5) A backup catcher would be nice.
It’s practically a salary wash in 2022, the Yankees dumped two unwanted pieces, picked up a shortstop a 3B who was likely to bounce back and expected Rortvedt would be a decent back up catcher to replace Sanchez.
Who says it’s either/or? Why can’t Yankee fans blame Cashman and simultaneously boo Donaldson every chance they get?
And let’s not forget Stanton. The poster boy for money not well spent !!
We wouldn’t hate him as much if he wasn’t a toxic teammate that can’t stay on a single team for more than 2 seasons without some bs like calling other black ball players Jackie.
A racial charge from someone whose handle disparages the greatest legitimate HR hitter ever?
Who says irony is dead?
Irony or stupidity?
Why can’t it be both?
Greatest legitimate? You mean Griffey?
I wonder If he gets DFA after the deadline
Probably won’t have to. Calf strains can be problematic and slow to heal. This could take three to four weeks to heal, and then they could send him on up to a 21-day rehab assignment. That’s six weeks and we’re into September and expanded rosters.
Likely depends on how Peraza looks.
So 60-day IL it is. I’m good with that.
Oh boy, I wish the Yankees would take Casey Mize and 1/3 of Javy Baez’s contract. The Tigers would gladly take a player to be named later in that deal.
Now they have no reason not to trade for Candelario.
I’d say there’s plenty reason not to trade for Candelario. The Yankees have spent a lot of prospect capital in the last couple of years. No need to further empty the farm when they’re much more than one player away from contention. Especially for a rental. This is the perfect time to see what Paraza has. Don’t need to take ABs from him.
I agree that Cashman has made some bad trades recently. At the same time, Waldichuk, Medina, Contreras and Wesneski have all struggled this year.
19 of our top 30 prospects are pitchers and the offense is an urgent priority. I think a package for Meneses and Candelario makes sense and would be withstandable. With Vasquez’s recent promotion the team now has 6 starters.
What a joke. Can’t wait until this contract expires. $25 million a year for this. The Yankees really bailed the Twins out.
Since the topics the IL, “In 49 games this season, Judge has slashed a sensational .291/.404/.674,” but in 44 games and counting, Judge has done nothing but collect a much larger paycheck than Donaldson.
What’s your point here?
well… in the games Donaldson has played he has also been awful. That includes last year. Judge is the AL MVP. Donaldson is a clown.
At least he won’t get booed for 10 days.
He wished to get hurt
I wish there was a 120-day injured list. That would take him right through to the end of the season…. goodbye!
There is! Its called DFA!!
How Donaldson got that baby cow out on the field that resulted in it’s injury has not yet been disclosed.
might end up being 2-week trade showcase for peraza
They’re not trading Peraza. In fact, I’m not sure they make any notable moves. The only OF who may be available and would provide some impact is Bellinger.
Was this supposed to be bad news?
“Yanks place Donaldson on waivers.”
Fixed it.
Donaldson should take all the time he needs for this to heal. I suggest he sits out the rest of the season and prepares for next year
Agreed. Don’t rush back.
I think Donaldson should probably retire at this point.
Yanks and Boone are comical. Just like the Padres the more they want to win the worse they become. It’s incredible really. Must have the two most toxic front offices in baseball.
About time. Hopefully Donaldson never sees the field again. My Voodoo doll finally working. Unfortunately Yankees now probably showcasing Pereza before the Trade Deadline
Josh has had calf problems for years. At least he’s learnt how to milk the cow
And with Judge’s injury the Yankees fans have become lack toes intolerant.
Please dont be so un -toe -ward.
Trade him to the White Sox so he can reunite with his BFF!
“It’s been a difficult year for Donaldson….” Right, it must be difficult cashing checks like the ones he gets. Nobody made the owners pay him that kind of money, so good for him. But, goodness sakes, let him go after the injury heals and move on.
That’s a great response. He never wanted to be a Yankee. Brought embarrassment to our team, instead of results.
True words. Good riddance
15 hits and 10 home runs. That’s a pretty insane number.
Almost Gallo-esque.
Gallo had a better batting average. Sadly.
The “Bringer of Rain” is in a drought. 13 for 90 since coming off the IL. When it rains it pours though as he does have 10 HR’s but i think the team would like to see a little more drizzle because those numbers are horrendous
Tip o the cap the the Twins brain trust. Impressive work dropping that deuce of a K on cold hard cash.
Bringer of rain went from monsoon to tropical depression real fast.
Not surprising in the least
This makes Boone’s life a little easier. No more 45+ minute meetings with Donaldson to explain he isn’t in the lineup because he sucks.
It’s getting late early. Another series loss (to COL). This may not be the year.
Not the year? According to the national sports media, EVERY year is the Yankees year…..until the season starts.
That’s what I’d like to believe at the beginning of every season but I’m no homer. Next season will be no different for me.
Bye….freaking bye. Gooooooooo
Josh who?
He’s probably at McDonaldson right now thinking my playing time is over l might as well eat.
Sounds like Donaldson either has a severe calf strain or the Yankees sent him to Jacoby Ellsbury’s doctor.
If I remember correctly, didn’t the Yanks deal for Donaldson instead of signing Corey Seager that off-season, like everyone suggested? If that’s the case… yikes
They had picks of SS to sign: Lindor (if the Mets didn’t extend him), Seager, Baez, and Story. I get that they wanted to keep Volpe and Peraza but we’ll see.
To quote Curly Bill Brocius “Well… Bye.”
Great Googly Moogly
Turned into a team cancer, league put up w/it when he was producing MVP#s but now that he’s just a broken dwn ol racists w/long swing n checkered past seems baseball Gods n Karma have caught up w/grand wizard … soon to be DFAd like hot potato n blackballed in league by his own actions n stoopidity, good riddance