Josh Donaldson was scheduled to have a break from the boos on Friday night when he was not in the lineup against the Rangers.
However, the jeers still came at the end of the night.
As Donaldson’s hitting struggles have worsened (his batting average plunging to .127 with an 0-for-3 performance and an error at third base), he has become the primary target of fan anger. The stadium filled with boos after he struck out as a pinch-hitter in the 10th inning, contributing to a 4-2, 10-inning loss.
Playing Donaldson wasn’t part of manager Aaron Boone’s plan. He even used Kyle Higashioka as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning. However, Boone eventually gave in and brought Donaldson off the bench for Billy McKinney in the 10th, which ultimately ended in a 1-2-3 final inning.
“He’s played a lot recently,” Boone stated before the game. “I just felt like today was a good day to rest him.”
After Friday’s game, Donaldson only has three hits in his last 42 plate appearances since June 8. Speculation has arisen about whether his $21 million salary could end up like Aaron Hicks’ deal.
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