Donaldson locks in, then blasts off -- twice

TAMPA, Fla. -- The most significant swing of Josh Donaldson’s day was not the homer that dented the scoreboard in the fourth inning, nor the long blast in the sixth. No, the cut that seemed to lock the veteran into a better place occurred in a near-empty George M. Steinbrenner Field on Tuesday morning.

That batting-practice lick sounded like cannon-fire to manager Aaron Boone, who observed with his forearms pressed against the cage. Once the round was complete, Boone ambled toward the first-base line, intercepting Donaldson and pressing his hands to the infielder’s shoulders.

“That’s it, right there,” Boone told Donaldson. “That’s the move you want.’”

The brief interaction foretold events to come, as Donaldson connected for his second and third home runs of the spring in the Yankees’ 6-3 Grapefruit League victory over the Tigers. After the most frustrating offensive season of his career, the 37-year-old Donaldson said that he is beginning to feel comfortable in his own skin again.

“My body feels really good right now; I feel strong at the plate,” Donaldson said. “I’m making my mechanics look similar to what I’m trying to accomplish. I’m seeing it well, where I can go into the box now at this point of Spring Training and trust my eyes, just letting my body move how I’ve been preparing it to.”

A turbulent first year in pinstripes saw Donaldson slash .222/.308/.374 (94 OPS+) with 15 homers and 62 RBIs in 132 games, and this spring has inspired few glimpses of the “Bringer of Rain” who won the American League’s Most Valuable Player Award with the Blue Jays in 2015. Just two days ago, Donaldson lost his bat while flailing at a third strike against the Orioles, the lumber coming to rest near the shortstop.

But the Yankees continue to expect big things from Donaldson, whom they acquired in a five-player trade with the Twins last March. There is no Plan B; DJ LeMahieu will see some reps at third base, and possibly Oswaldo Cabrera or Isiah Kiner-Falefa as well, but general manager Brian Cashman has said that Donaldson will “definitely” be the Bombers’ starting third baseman.

Donaldson is still owed $21.75 million in 2023, plus a $16 million team option or an $8 million buyout in '24, which factors into the equation. Boone has also cited Donaldson’s improved physical conditioning in saying that “you’d be crazy to think that a bounce-back is not in there offensively.”

“It’s absolutely still in there,” Boone said. “He’s twitchy, he’s strong. He’s got power. He got dinged a little bit last year. He’s just got to know that’s still in there, because it is.”

Reflecting on his 2022 season, Donaldson said: “I kept grinding on it and grinding on it, and I just wasn’t really able to find the spot where I wanted it to be. I’d have a couple of good games here or there, and then it would get inconsistent again. The goal is to go out there each and every day and have the mentality that you’re going to put together a good at-bat.”

Hal Steinbrenner, the Yankees’ managing general partner, has said that he is “optimistic” Donaldson will put forth a more complete performance in 2023.

“The defense is rock solid; that won’t change,” Steinbrenner said. “Talking to certain people, the [2022] lockout affected some players, I think. As I’ve talked to people about Josh, there’s an opinion that maybe it affected him more than other players, for a variety of reasons. Nonetheless, yes, I am expecting a bounce-back year for him.”

Donaldson agreed that the offseason run-up to Opening Day 2022 was “pretty quick,” though he declined to use it as an excuse for his on-field performance.

“That was the time frame that was given to us,” Donaldson said. “We were rolling with it. This Spring Training, I’ve felt like it has been a little bit better to make sure you’re getting the time and recovery.”

Boone described Donaldson’s improved mechanics as “a cleaner move that’s going to give him some space and be a little quicker.”

Donaldson said that he has focused on “trying to make things more simple.” Nine days away from taking the field in the Bronx, Tuesday’s performance provides a welcome boost.

“I’ve been feeling pretty confident lately,” Donaldson said. “To mix in some results in the game is nice. I feel like the process has been going pretty well to this point, and I’m sticking to that.”