Delaney Hibbits
Arts and Entertainment Editor
Josh Donaldson, a 13-season baseball veteran, announced his MLB retirement on March 4, 2024. The former AL MVP made an appearance on Sean Casey’s podcast, The Mayor’s Office with Sean Casey, where he announced he would not return for the 2024 season.
“Today is a sad but also a happy day for me to where I am going to announce my retirement from the game that I’ve dedicated my entire life around,” said Donaldson.
Global Life Management Firm conducted a study and found the average age for when baseball players retire is 29.5. To see Donaldson continue to play the game he loves for an additional 8.5 years shows his passion and undying dedication.
Following his marriage during the off-season, he told Casey that his retirement is “sad because I’ll be not able to go out and play the game I love anymore. But it’s also a very happy time that I get to be around the family and kind of take the next chapter in life.”
At the age of 24, Donaldson started his journey in the MLB in 2010 when he played for the Oakland Athletics. After proving to be a valuable and more expensive player in the 2013 and 2014 seasons, the A’s traded Donaldson to the Blue Jays. This seemed like the right move for Donaldson since he won the AL MVP award a year later.
For his last six seasons, Donaldson played on multiple teams including the Minnesota Twins, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees and Milwaukee Brewers. Just like every other athlete, he dealt with the fans, critics and differing opinions.
In the 2022 season, Donaldson played for the New York Yankees where he struggled offensively and defensively. He had 25 home runs and drove in 77 runs through 165 games. Yankee fans made sure their opinions were known by booing Donaldson with every at-bat even before the first pitch was thrown.
He was even suspended for one game due to a comment made towards Tim Anderson, the shortstop for the Chicago White Sox. After an altercation between the teams, Donaldson called Anderson “Jackie,” in reference to Jackie Robinson, which many found offensive.
Aaron Judge, captain of the New York Yankees, said, “Joke or not, I just don’t think it’s the right thing to do.” Donaldson was held accountable by his team as well as the MLB itself. Controversy was a topic well-known to Josh Donaldson.
Despite his later struggles and difficulties with other teams, Donaldson maintained a decently successful career. He played in three All-Star games, won two Silver Slugger awards and captured the Hank Aaron Award. He even won the 2019 National League Comeback Player of the Year Award.
At the time of his retirement, Donaldson had played 1,383 games and 13 seasons with a few exceptions due to injuries. With 5,022 at-bats, Donaldson retires with a 0.847 OPS, 1,310 hits and 279 home runs.
