Aaron Boone on Josh Donaldson: "We need him. We need him to do something big this series"

When the New York Yankees acquired 2015 American League MVP Josh Donaldson, the organization had high expectations. Unfortunately for them, Donaldson has failed to live up to his illustrious resume. The Yankees third baseman has been inconsistent all season and is still finding his feet in the Big Apple.

The Yankees have relied heavily on offense to get them this far. The team finished with 99 wins in the regular season. They led the MLB in home runs with 254 and the American League in total runs with 807. That same offense has failed to show up in the postseason. Manager Aaron Boone believes Josh Donaldson needs to step up if the Yankees have any chance of turning things around.

"We need him (Donaldson). We need him to do something big this series," Boone said.

The Houston Astros lead the Yankees 2-0, with the series heading back to New York. The team is in desperate need of a spark in order to avoid another disappointing finish.

The Yankees have scored just 24 runs in seven playoff games. That means a meager 3.42 runs per game. During the regular season, they averaged 4.98 runs per game. The lineup has staggered when facing quality pitching from the Cleveland Guardians and Houston Astros.

Donaldson has been a key figure in the offense this season. He had a .222/.308/.374 slash line and contributed with 15 home runs and 62 RBIs.

Josh Donaldson has failed to live up to expectations since his move to New York

Josh Donaldson reacts after striking out against the Houston Astros in game one of the ALCS

The Bronx Bombers acquired the three-time All-Star hoping that he would add some firepower to the roster. Donaldson finished with an impressive 37 home runs twice in his career (2016, 2019). He finished with a career-best 41 home runs in 2015, the year he was selected as the AL MVP.

During the 2022 postseason, however, Donaldson has failed to deliver. He has looked uncomfortable at the plate. He has a .227 batting average and is yet to hit a home run. Donaldson has just one run after seven games. He has struck out 11 times already in just 22 at-bats.

"Josh Donaldson this postseason: 5-for-22, 1 2B, 0 RBI, 5 BB, 11 K" - Bryan Hoch

Gerrit Cole will face off against Cristian Javier in a must-win game for the Yankees at Yankee Stadium.

The New York Yankees have relied on Aaron Judge to carry this offense all year. His 62 home runs guided this team to first place in the AL East. With Judge now stuttering, players like Josh Donaldson need to lift the offense.