MLB Twitter roasts Yankees’ Josh Donaldson for hilariously bad baserunning
By Mark Powell
New York Yankees slugger Josh Donaldson was oh so close to hitting a home run. Instead, the ball glanced off the top of the wall and came back into play. He wasn’t prepared for what happened next.
Donaldson and good baserunning don’t necessarily go hand in hand.
The Yanks slugger nearly hit a home run, but the ball just barely stayed in play. New York didn’t help his case by playing the Yankees’ home run music, but Donaldson needs to be ready for anything — this is playoff baseball in the Bronx, after all.
Rather than keeping his head up and rushing back to first or second base hoping to salvage something out of the deep fly ball, Donaldson kept on jogging around the bases. That backfired.
Josh Donaldson thought he homered and got thrown out after trotting around first base pic.twitter.com/zw9gOJcNI1
— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) October 12, 2022
Just a casual trot around the bases with the boys, nothing to see here.
Donaldson was as shocked as most fans, as he assumed the ball went out of the yard. He did try to use the short porch to his advantage.
Yankees: Josh Donaldson savaged by baseball fans
Donaldson’s baserunning flaw could have a lasting impact on the game. Isiah Kiner-Filefa, the very next batter, tripled on a play that would’ve scored Donaldson had he remained on the basepaths. IKF would give the Yankees the lead shortly thereafter by scoring on a sacrifice fly.
Still, baseball fans had some fun at Donaldson’s expense. Such is often the case as it pertains to playoff baseball.
Josh Donaldson, a man who has probably gotten very angry at players who didn't run it out, didn't run it out
— Céspedes Family BBQ (@CespedesBBQ) October 12, 2022
you can criticize josh donaldson all you want but he saved a whole lot of gas in the tank on that one. next at bat he’s gonna run out a 70 mph bunt triple. rollover speed is one of the coolest things about baseball and i’m surprised we don’t see it more
— Jon Bois (@jon_bois) October 12, 2022
Josh Donaldson was THIS close to hitting a go-ahead HR for the @Yankees 👀 pic.twitter.com/sAtsHkwGdZ
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 12, 2022
First base coach Travis Chapman has to share the blame with Josh Donaldson in that horrendous base running mistake in a 1-1 playoff game.
— Jim Bowden⚾️🏈 (@JimBowdenGM) October 12, 2022
that was the most Josh Donaldson play that ever Josh Donaldson'd
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 12, 2022
Josh Donaldson 5th time doing that this season but definitely wouldn’t happen during the postseason OMFG
— Talkin’ Jake (@TalkinJake) October 12, 2022
Only Josh Donaldson could have the entire stadium thinking he hit a home run then get thrown out 2 seconds later
— gabe (@PlayoffTanaka_) October 12, 2022
Josh Donaldson thrown out for being a dummy. pic.twitter.com/5UAEpCHyfo
— Max Rieper (@maxrieper) October 12, 2022
Josh Donaldson congrats on boarding the Bozo Express
— Chris Branch (@cbranch89) October 12, 2022
This is Aaron Boone’s fault. He let Josh Donaldson get away with lallygagging non-HRs on multiple occasions. Never put his foot down.
— Jordan Raanan (@JordanRaanan) October 12, 2022
Now it comes back to bite them in a big spot.
LOL Josh Donaldson went into a HR trot on a ball hit 295 feet and then was thrown out at 1st 😂
— Marc Luino (@GiraffeNeckMarc) October 12, 2022
Essentially, Donaldson pimped a long fly ball. It’s the ultimate Josh Donaldson out, because Donaldson himself would be upset if anyone else took part in such a moment.
It remains to be seen if Donaldson will hold himself to the same standard (likely not).
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