Donaldson retires after 13 seasons
The “Bringer of Rain” is riding off into the sunset
Josh Donaldson, the former American League MVP, retires after playing 13 seasons in the major league. He made this announcement during an appearance on “The Mayor’s Office with Sean Casey” podcast. Last season, Donaldson suffered a calf injury, which limited him to just 50 games. During that time, he played for the New York Yankees and the Milwaukee Brewers. Although he helped Milwaukee to an NL Central title, he hit a career-worst .152/.249/.418 with only 13 homers in 189 total at-bats.
Donaldson has said that he had opportunities to continue playing, but he decided to retire after getting married and spending time with his family during the offseason. He stated that he would have needed the “perfect situation” to play this year.
The player speaks
“Today is a sad but also happy day for me. … It’s sad because I’ll not be able to go out there and play the game that I love anymore, but it’s also (a) very happy time that I get to be around the family, and kind of take that next chapter in life,” Donaldson said.
A Blue Jay legend
Donaldson is most famously known for his brief yet dominant stint with the Toronto Blue Jays, where he served as a key player for their powerful teams that made ALCS appearances in 2015 and 2016. He was acquired for four players in a blockbuster trade ahead of the 2015 season and went on to earn the AL MVP award in 2015 for his instrumental role in helping the Blue Jays end a 22-year playoff drought. During his four years with Toronto, Donaldson managed to win two Silver Sluggers and a Hank Aaron Award, while also making two out of his three career All-Star appearances.
One of his most memorable moments in a Blue Jays uniform came during the 2016 ALDS, where his incredible sprint home won the series for Toronto against their archrivals, the Texas Rangers.
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6 Playoff Teams
Donaldson, who was originally drafted by the Chicago Cubs in 2007, debuted in the big leagues as a catcher for the Oakland Athletics in 2010. However, he didn’t remain in the majors for another two years. He played as the starting third baseman for three consecutive A’s playoff teams before being traded to Toronto.
Throughout his career, Donaldson amassed 1,310 hits, 279 home runs, and 816 RBIs in 1,383 games with the Blue Jays, A’s, Yankees, Brewers, Cleveland Indians, Atlanta Braves, and Minnesota Twins, achieving a lifetime .261/.358/.489 slash line. Although he never won a World Series, he played in the playoffs for nine of his 13 seasons, representing six of his seven teams at least once.
Donaldson will qualify to appear on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot for the first time in 2029.