Josh Donaldson clubbed two home runs in Tuesday’s spring training win for the Yankees, in what the former MVP hopes will be a sign of things to come in a rebound season.
In a conversation with The Athletic, Donaldson told Brendan Kuty that he isn’t feeling pressure to perform after his disappointing debut season in New York, but he is expecting a lot more out of himself in his age 37 season.
“I don’t know necessarily if I feel pressure from that. But I do have my own expectations,” Donaldson told Kuty. “I have high expectations of myself and how to perform, and I would say the reason as far as pressure is concerned, if I didn’t feel like I was prepared coming into it, then I would feel pressure. But I feel like I’ve been preparing myself physically and mentally for what’s to come at that time, whatever happens is going to happen.”
Donaldson did not win over the hearts of Yankee fans last season, posting a lowly .682 OPS before striking out in seven straight postseason games. The three-time All-Star heard plenty of boos from his own fanbase in October, but he is keeping his focus on making his own improvements, and believes the response from the crowd will come after he shows off the work he has put in at the plate.
“At the end of the day, I’m not in control of other people and what they do,” Donaldson said. “For me, I have to focus on, how can I help this team win? How can I best prepare myself? I can’t control those things. I can’t focus on that. If I focus on that, then I’m going to get wrapped up in something that I don’t want to get wrapped up in. I’m here to help our team win in whatever manner that is. I feel like I’ve prepared myself the best possible way for me to go about that. I feel good and I feel confident.”
As for what the 2023 season could hold if he doesn’t start fast out of the gate, Donaldson isn’t letting himself think about that too much either.
“I haven’t thought about that. My goal is to be ready for whenever my name is called, wherever it’s called,” Donaldson said. “That’s really what I can focus on. I plan on just allowing myself to go play and allowing that to speak for itself and hopefully putting that to sleep for people.”
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