Kyle Higashioka has been on fire in spring training for the Yankees, leading the team with four home runs while collecting seven hits in 15 at-bats.
The Yankee catcher credited his recent hitting success and new approach to new teammate Josh Donaldson, who was seen as an enemy less than a year ago, when the third baseman called out Gerrit Cole specifically during Major League Baseball’s crackdown on stick substances. As a result, Higashioka says he was told by his battery mate not to talk to Donaldson when he stepped into the batter’s box for the Blue Jays for the rest of the 2021 season.
“Now, for the first time, I’ve been able to talk to him,” Higashioka said, via Pete Caldera of NorthJersey.com. “I wasn’t supposed to say hi, or anything to him at the plate. I think we’re past that.”
Higashioka, Cole’s personal catcher since the 2020 season, did as Cole wished in 2021, but now that Donaldson is a teammate and he and Cole have squashed their beef, Higashioka is able to talk with Donaldson, and seems to be getting a lot out of it. At least, his performance at the plate suggests so.
“The approach is where he really excels,’’ Higashioka said. “He’s just so smart about hitting.”
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