The potential for Josh Donaldson‘s return to the New York Yankees’ lineup would be one last blunder to cap off a blunder-filled year.
Before the Yankees’ game against the Tampa Bay Rays on August 25, manager Aaron Boone was asked about the potential for Donaldson’s return to the lineup. “Yeah, he’s working toward a potential rehab assignment sometime soon. So I think it’s a definite possibility.” Granted, his answer didn’t explicitly state that Donaldson would see any MLB action again this season. But the Yankees organization has already shown a reluctance to part ways with players with little to no future with the club. Donaldson won’t be on the Yankees’s roster next season. So his potential return this season could derail precious development time for young players like Oswald Peraza.
Boone was then asked to further elaborate on the reasoning behind Donaldson possibly taking at-bats away from younger players. “You’re getting out a couple of weeks ahead of yourself… He’s getting close to being in a rehab situation and he’s doing all the work to put himself in that position. So hopefully he continues to make the right kind of progress to put himself in that position,” Boone said of Donaldson.
Whatever the team’s justifications are, there aren’t any valid reasons for Donaldson to be on the active roster. Like all athletes, Donaldson likely wants nothing more than to prove that he can still play. With his options dwindling, Donaldson will soon have to decide between retirement or taking a team-friendly deal in free agency with another team. The Yankees are very unlikely to finish the year with a record above .500. Their primary concern should be to focus on 2024 and beyond, not finding at-bats for players well past their prime.
The Implications Of Josh Donaldson’s Return To The Lineup
Donaldson is currently on the 60-day injured list with a strained calf. He won’t be eligible to return to the Yankees until September 16. That leaves just 14 games for the former MVP to attempt his comeback if they activate him. That’s 14 games for a team that’ll be watching the postseason from the comfort of their own homes come October. If the Yankees were still in the playoff hunt, perhaps Donaldson’s return could be seen as a late-season boost. But the addition of Donaldson’s bat would offer very little in terms of offensive production. In 33 games this season, Donaldson has hit just .142 in 106 at-bats. His one redeeming quality? Out of his 15 hits, 10 have been home runs.
Currently, Oswald Peraza has taken over for Donaldson as the Yankees’ primary third baseman. The 23-year-old has struggled this season in his limited playing time. He is hitting .153 with a .458 OPS in 25 games. With such a small sample size, it’s tough to gauge Peraza’s true potential. Throughout his season with the Yankees, it has appeared that Peraza has been pressing at the plate. He may not be the Yankees’ future everyday third baseman, but Peraza has the capability of providing solid value for the team moving forward. If given the at-bats in September, Peraza may finally come into his own and relax at the plate. The potential return of Josh Donaldson may hinder that progress.
The Yankees And Their Future Young Core
Peraza showed glimpses of great promise in his debut in 2022. But so far in 2023, those glimpses have evaded him. In a July 18 game against the Los Angeles Angels, Peraza went 1-for-1 at the plate with four walks. That game has been Peraza’s sole bright spot for the Yankees this season. But in that instance, he showcased his ability to understand the strike zone and flourish as a hitter. Only time (and at-bats) will determine if Peraza has what it takes to last in the majors.
The same goes for recent call-up Everson Pereira. In six games with the Yankees, Pereira has just three hits in 22 at-bats. In Sunday’s 7-4 loss against Tampa Bay, Pereira was penciled in as the cleanup hitter for the Yankees. That most likely has to do with the team’s lackluster offense. It could also mean that the organization has faith in its young players.
With Anthony Volpe, the Yankees seem to already have their long-term shortstop for the foreseeable future. He has been streaky in his rookie season, but his 18 home runs and 3.3 WAR prove that he is capable of figuring everything out. Another potential member of their young core is “The Martian” himself, Jasson Dominguez. After a brief struggle to begin his year in Double-A Somerset, Dominguez has been on a tear, which has caught the eye of the Yankees’ manager.
As the #Yankees continue to promote their minor league outfielders, Jasson Dominguez could make his @MLB debut this September. He’s got eight RBIs through six Triple-A games.
Aaron Boone: “I think he’s going to be a really good player. He’s a really special talent.”
— Bryan Hoch ⚾️ (@BryanHoch) August 27, 2023
After Sunday’s game with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Dominguez now has 10 RBI to go along with his 11 hits in just 23 at-bats. For the last two decades, the Yankees have been wary of promoting their top prospects too quickly. But with Volpe, Peraza, Pereira, and possibly Dominguez getting MLB action this season, perhaps the tide is turning. For the Yankees’ sake, it would be best to leave Donaldson ashore and let the young core get their sea legs.
