A rift with general manager Billy Beane apparently led to Josh Donaldson’s departure from Oakland.
The All-Star third baseman was traded to the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday for fellow third baseman Brett Lawrie, left-handed pitcher Sean Nolin, right-hander Kendall Graveman and minor league shortstop Franklin Barreto. The deal, according to Scott Miller of Bleacher Report, was partly caused by a feud between Donaldson and Beane.
“One industry source says he ‘knew’ the Athletics would trade Josh Donaldson this winter, no matter how little baseball sense it made, because the All-Star and Beane were ‘at war’ by season’s end,” Miller writes.
“Multiple sources cite a verbal altercation between the two after Donaldson told manager Bob Melvin he needed a couple of days off after Oakland had played several days in a row. The story goes, Beane told Donaldson if he needed a couple of days off, the club should put him on the disabled list, and that made Donaldson unhappy.”
The deal makes a little bit more sense knowing there were apparent off-field issues, as Donaldson hit 29 homers last season with Oakland and perhaps was the team’s best overall player.
Photo via Jim Cowsert/USA TODAY Sports Images
