Josh Donaldson has had better days.
The Toronto Blue Jays third baseman left Wednesday’s game against the New York Yankees with a jammed right thumb. But even before that, Donaldson dealt with plenty of frustration, as his afternoon included an 0-for-4 showing at the plate and a heated exchange with manager John Gibbons in the Blue Jays’ dugout.
Donaldson slammed his bat after striking out in the third inning, marking his second strikeout of the game against Yankees starter CC Sabathia. Gibbons took exception to Donaldson’s act of aggression — the bat could have shattered and gone anywhere — and confronted him, leading to an argument that caused several Blue Jays players to intervene.
Things like this happen in Major League Baseball, and with the Blue Jays entering the day with a one-game lead over the Boston Red Sox and Baltimore Orioles in the American League East, there’s a clear sense of urgency in the Toronto clubhouse.
According to the Toronto Star, Gibbons extended a low-five hand slap to Donaldson after he scored a run in the fifth inning, so it appears the hatchet’s already been buried, even though the three-time All-Star probably hoped for bigger and better things when he rolled out of bed Wednesday morning.
