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New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner believes that Josh Donaldson's poor 2022 season was an aberration, but fans disagree with this assessment.
The Yankees clearly hope that Donaldson can return somewhere close to his MVP form. After a batting average of .222 this past season, he has almost nowhere to go but up.
Donaldson was acquired from the Minnesota Twins ahead of the 2022 season. The Yankees hoped that he was the final missing piece they needed to elevate their offense to the next level. Instead, he had one of the worst seasons of his career and was often a liability.
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Despite these struggles, Hal Steinbrenner still believes that Josh Donaldson has plenty to offer. Twitter user Michigan Yankees shared the comments from the Yankees owner.
Steinbrenner has to be optimistic about his team's chances, but some fans feel he is not being realistic. Being blind to what many feel is obviously a sharp decline from Donaldson does not help the team. Identifying the weakness and attempting to rectify it would be the favored outcome for New York Yankees fans.
Josh Donaldson did not manage to endear himself to the New York Yankees' fan base in his first season. Not only due to his below-average play on the field, but some extracurriculars that took place as well. His suspension earlier in the season due to an incident with Tim Anderson of the Chicago White Sox caused many Yankees fans to turn on him.
This will be a critically important offseason for the Yankees, and they cannot afford to make many mistakes. Their passionate fan base is tired of the championship drought and will settle for nothing less than a World Series appearance. Perhaps the trust shown in Josh Donaldson will work out for the better, but fans are pessimistic about the scenario.
The New York Yankees aren't planning to move on from Donaldson anytime soon, much to the fans' chagrin.
Josh Donaldson needs to elevate his game to stay with the New York Yankees in 2023
Donaldson does not need to return to his MVP form of 2015, but he does need to get back to being an offensive threat. If he can take the pressure off the power hitters and superstars of the Yankees, he will be doing his job perfectly.
Josh Donaldson brings a strong veteran presence to a team that truly needs it. The only question is whether or not his on-field struggles can be sorted out for another playoff run.
