"I’m tired of Donaldson. Get him off of the team" "That was clearly NOT intentional" - New York Yankees fans frustrated as benches clear after Josh Donaldson's near HBP

New York Yankees slugger Josh Donaldson was once again the center of a heated situation, this time against the Tampa Bay Rays. Donaldson has always played the game with emotions on his sleeve, so when a pitch came up and in, he reacted.

After Donaldson took a few steps toward the pitcher and voiced his anger, both teams flooded the field. Both teams were issued a warning to prevent increased hostilities.

Talkin' Yanks posted a video of the incident to Twitter.

Josh Donaldson is no stranger to on-field scuffles. An incident earlier this season between Donaldson and Tim Anderson of the Chicago White Sox led to a Donaldson suspension. New York Yankees fans now seem fed up with Donaldson and his antics, especially given his on-field performance.

If Donaldson were still playing at an MVP-level, the fan base would likely give him more leeway. Since he is not, moments like these become all the more irritating.

Donaldson has not been an offensive threat this season, so it is unlikely the Tampa Bay Rays were trying to send some sort of message. The high pitch is believed to be accidental. Donaldson obviously did not see things that way.

The New York Yankees' recent struggles have been well documented. Some fans are willing to try anything at this point to turn things around.

While this moment might create a brief energy burst, this team needs on-field improvements.

This outburst was likely caused by weeks of building frustration, not just this one pitch.

When Donaldson was acquired from the Minnesota Twins in the off-season, New York Yankees fans were thrilled. Now, they have a wildly different stance.

The Yankees and Rays managed to keep the situation from escalating, but it still did damage.

Josh Donaldson and the New York Yankees need this win over the Tampa Bay Rays

New York Yankees v Oakland Athletics

The Yankees desperately need to string some wins together, especially against teams in the American League East. If Josh Donaldson habitually loses his composure and pulls focus away from the game itself, winning will become all the more difficult.

The Yankees have the talent to be one of the top teams in the MLB, but things have just not been clicking. Perhaps the club needed this show of unity — or perhaps it is the mark of a team that has fallen apart.