Josh Donaldson Suspended for ‘Jackie’ Comments

Major League Baseball suspended Josh Donaldson for one sport after figuring out the Yankees third baseman had made “disrespectful” feedback to Tim Anderson, a shortstop for the Chicago White Sox.

On Saturday, Donaldson, who’s white, was confronted by numerous members of the White Sox after he repeatedly referred to Anderson, who’s Black, as “Jackie.” He mentioned the feedback have been meant to be an inside joke between the gamers and have been referencing {a magazine} article through which Anderson mentioned he felt like “today’s Jackie Robinson.”

Chicago’s gamers and training employees rejected that clarification. Manager Tony La Russa mentioned Donaldson had made a “racist” remark, Anderson mentioned he agreed with the characterization and a number of gamers characterised Donaldson’s relationship with their workforce as adversarial.

Before Sunday’s doubleheader, which the White Sox swept, Yankees Manager Aaron Boone mentioned he didn’t suppose Donaldson ought to have made the remark.

“I don’t believe there was any malicious intent in that regard,” Boone advised reporters. “But you know, this is, just in my opinion, somewhere he should not be going.”

In Monday’s assertion in regards to the suspension, which incorporates an undisclosed advantageous, Michael Hill, M.L.B.’s senior vice chairman for on-field operations, mentioned the league had accomplished an investigation and located that the details of the case weren’t in query.

“MLB has completed the process of speaking to the individuals involved in this incident,” the assertion mentioned. “There is no dispute over what was said on the field. Regardless of Mr. Donaldson’s intent, the comment he directed toward Mr. Anderson was disrespectful and in poor judgment, particularly when viewed in the context of their prior interactions.

“In addition, Mr. Donaldson’s remark was a contributing factor in a bench-clearing incident between the teams, and warrants discipline.”

That self-discipline, nevertheless, should wait. Donaldson appealed the choice, which might have allowed him to play whereas the attraction was pending, however simply earlier than the suspension was introduced the Yankees positioned him on the Covid-19 injured listing.