MLB All-Star break: A look at Josh Donaldson’s first half numbers

After an injury slowed down his first half production, the former MVP hopes to have a strong second half in the Bronx.

As the first half of the Major League Baseball season comes to a close, Auburn Wire will check in with several former Tigers who are currently on active MLB rosters.

The first up is the longest-tenured former Tiger in the show, New York Yankees’ third baseman, [autotag]Josh Donaldson[/autotag].

Donaldson had a sluggish first half, as he missed most of April, and all of May, due to a hamstring injury. Because of this, the distance between his hits and home run is minimal.

On Sunday, he set a new record by registering the fewest base hits by any player with double-digit home runs before the All-Star break in baseball history with 15 total hits and 10 home runs. Ironically, he took over that title from fellow Auburn alum, [autotag]Frank Thomas[/autotag], who had 20 hits and 11 home runs prior to the 2005 all-star break.

His home runs have been a product of great plate appearances. He hopes to turn those into more base hits and RBI opportunities in the second half.

“I feel like the at-bats have been there and the home runs have been predicated on having some pretty good at-bats,” Donaldson said Saturday. “I haven’t really had much fall other than that. I’m looking forward to that changing.”

Here’s a look at Donaldson’s first-half numbers.

Donaldson, New York Yankees face elimination Sunday in ALCS

The Astros shut out the Yankees on Saturday, forcing a must-win situation for the Yankees on Sunday afternoon.

Following another disappointing performance in the American League Championship Series, the New York Yankees need to earn a win on Sunday in order to stay alive in their quest for a World Series crown.

Houston’s Chas McCormick hit a two-run blast in the 3rd inning on Saturday’s Game Three, while Trey Mancini and Christian Vasquez combined to plate three runs in the 6th inning to lift the Astros to a 5-0 win over the Yankees at Yankee Stadium to take a 3-0 lead in the American League Championship Series.

Auburn’s tie to the American League Championship Series, third baseman [autotag]Josh Donaldson[/autotag], went 0-for-3 in the game, striking out twice. Including Saturday’s game, Donaldson has struck out 13 times over a span of six postseason games, while only recording three hits. This postseason, Donaldson is batting .200 with one double and seven RBI.

Game four between the Yankees and Astros is set for a 3:07 p.m. CT start time live from Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. The game can be seen live on TBS.

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Donaldson, Yankees drop game two to Houston Astros

The Yankees are down 2-0 to the Houston Astros as the ALCS shifts to the Bronx.

[autotag]Josh Donaldson[/autotag]’s struggles at the plate continue as the New York Yankees drop the second game of the American League Championship Series to the Houston Astros on Thursday night, 3-2 at Minute Maid Park in Houston. The Yankees’ loss extends the Astros lead in the series to 2-0 as the series heads to New York for game three.

The former Auburn Tiger went 1-for-3 with a double in the Yankees’ loss, with two strikeouts. Over the last five postseason games, Donaldson has struck out 11 times while only reaching base four times.

All scoring in the game took place in the 3rd and 4th innings. The Astros scored all three of their runs on one swing by Houston’s Alex Bregman in the bottom of the 3rd inning. His three-run blast broke the scoreless tie and put his team up 3-0.

The Yankees responded by scoring two runs in the top of the 4th inning, one run on an Anthony Rizzo groundout that scored Aaron Judge, and an RBI infield single by Gleyber Torres that scored Giancarlo Stanton.

Donaldson and the Yankees will take Friday off, and pick back up for game three at Yankee Stadium. Saturday’s game in the Bronx will begin at 4:07 p.m. CT. The game will be broadcasted on TBS.

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Justin Verlander’s beautiful 82 mph curveball led to the saddest swing by the Yankees’ Josh Donaldson

The Yankees 3B had the saddest strike out of the playoffs.

Justin Verlander may be 39 years of age but he’s still one of the best pitchers in Major League Baseball and the ace of the Astros. We were reminded of that Wednesday night when he struck out 11 Yankees in Houston’s 4-2 victory over New York in Game 1 of the ALCS.

Verlander’s ridiculous curveballs are some of the most fun curveballs to watch, unless you’re an unfortunate soul standing in the batter’s box and trying to hit one of those beauties.

Just ask Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson about that. That poor fella had the saddest swing when he realized one of the curveballs was going to drop into the zone

Check this out:

That was the ol “oh no, this is really happening” swing.

Twitter had reactions.

Josh Donaldson, New York Yankees advance to ALCS

Former Tiger Josh Donaldson’s World Series hopes are still alive after the Yankees’ win over Cleveland on Tuesday.

Auburn’s lone representative in the Major League Baseball postseason advances to the next round.

[autotag]Josh Donaldson[/autotag] and the New York Yankees returned to the Bronx on Tuesday to face the Cleveland Guardians in a winner-take-all Game Five of the American League Division Series. Behind a three-run home run by Giancarlo Stanton in the bottom of the 1st inning, the Yankees were able to take care of the Guardians, winning 5-1 to win the series.

Donaldson went 1-for-4 in the game and finishes the ALDS with a .250 average (4-for-16). His best game in the series came in game one of the series when he went 2-for-2 at the plate with a walk in the Yankees’ 4-1 win at Yankee Stadium.

Donaldson and the Yankees will have a quick turnaround, as they meet the Houston Astros for game one of the American League Championship Series beginning Wednesday. The best-of-seven series begins at 6:37 p.m. CT at Minute Maid Park in Houston. The game will be broadcasted live on TBS.

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Auburn Morning Rush: Tigers name honorary captain, former Tiger excels in ALDS

Here is the latest Auburn news you may have missed for the Auburn Morning Rush:

We’re halfway through the week, which means that we’re halfway there to Auburn football this Saturday.

But that isn’t the only Auburn sport being played this fall season. Both the women’s soccer team and Auburn’s women’s golf team deserve some credit for the way those squads have been playing, and on top of that, a former Auburn alum got the job done for his baseball team in the first round of the ALDS between the Yankees and the Guardians on Tuesday night.

Check out the latest Auburn news stories you may not have caught as you ready yourself for your morning commute down below:

Yankees’ Josh Donaldson was embarrassingly thrown out after misjudging a HR and MLB fans dragged him

This was not a good look for Josh Donaldson.

This could have gone a lot better for Josh Donaldson.

On Tuesday, the New York Yankees were hosting the Cleveland Guardians in Game 1 of the ALDS with the score tied 1-1 in the fifth inning. With no one out and the bases clear, Donaldson skied a ball out to deep right field that seemed to have home run distance. Unfortunately, the ball hopped off the wall and back into the field for the Guardians to make a play on.

Donaldson, however, believed the ball to be a home run, as he trotted around first, giving a high five to first base coach Travis Chapman as he went. The Yankees third baseman then was thrown out for his mistake in quite the embarrassing moment.

That’s a rough one for Donaldson right there. Sure, the ball looked like it was gone but with a tie 1-1 game in the playoffs, you have to run it out regardless. While the Yankees did take the lead in the fifth inning, baseball fans did not hesitate to roast Donaldson for the error.

Former Tiger Josh Donaldson heading to MLB Postseason with New York Yankees

The former Auburn third baseman is set to make another postseason appearance. This time, he will do so wearing pinstripes.

Auburn Baseball will have one representative in the upcoming Major League Baseball Postseason, and he is perhaps its’ most famous current player.

Former Tiger [autotag]Josh Donaldson[/autotag] is playoff bound in his first season with the New York Yankees after the team finished with 99 wins and the American League East crown.

This season, Donaldson hit for a .222 average with 15 home runs and 62 RBI while playing in 132 games, making 546 plate appearances.

The postseason appearance will be the first for Donaldson since 2019 when he was the starting third baseman for the Atlanta Braves. That season, Donaldson reached his second-highest season home run total by cranking out 37 home runs. He also ended that season with 94 RBI.

His most notable appearance in the postseason came in 2015 when he was a key member of the Toronto Blue Jays team that played for an American League Championship. He was also named American League Most Valuable Player that season.

You can watch Donaldson and the Yankees compete for a World Series title beginning Tuesday, Oct. 11. The Yankees will meet the winner of the American League Wild Card series between the Tampa Bay Rays and the Cleveland Guardians that will take place this weekend.

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Mics picked up Josh Donaldson’s NSFW celebration after hitting a huge HR against the Blue Jays

Don’t make Donaldson angry.

Josh Donaldson hit 116 home runs in his four years with the Blue Jays, so Sunday served as a familiar scene for Toronto fans. But man, there aren’t many hitters who play effectively while angry quite like Donaldson.

In the first inning of the Yankees’ game against the Blue Jays, Donaldson took a first-pitch 93 mph fastball to the ribs. And understandably, he wasn’t happy about it. Donaldson slammed his bat to the ground before making his way to first base (he’d later get picked off).

So, when he stepped to the plate to face Yusei Kikuchi in the third inning, he made sure to admire the huge home run to straightaway center field. But listen to what the mics picked up at the end. (NSFW language)

Donaldson flipped his bat after the home run, took his time around the bases and had some words about that middle-middle fastball from Kikuchi.

Yankees fans certainly seemed to enjoy the fiery sequence from Donaldson.

Update on former Auburn Tigers in MLB through May 26

A look at how Josh Donaldson and the quartet of former Tigers are doing in MLB this season.

The Auburn Tigers baseball squad is waiting to find out where they will play in the NCAA Regionals. It has been a good season for the team, including for newcomer Sonny DiChiara who won SEC co-player of the year.

They aren’t the only Tigers having success this year. Four former Tigers on Major League Baseball rosters are doing their part as well. Prior to the season, Josh Donaldson was dealt from Minnesota to the New York Yankees and he made an impact immediately.

Detroit Tigers pitcher Casey Mize hasn’t had the season he was expecting, mostly due to injuries that he is dealing with. He has made just two starts for the team.

We look at the former players through the first two months of the MLB season.

Garrett Cooper, First Baseman: Miami Marlins

Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Stats through May 26

Games PA AB BA OBP HIts HRs RBIs
39 155 133 .263 .348 35 2 15

Josh Donaldson, Third Baseman: New York Yankees

Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Stats through May 26

Games PA AB BA OBP Hits HRs RBIs
37 152 130 .238 .349 31 5 15

Next, a look at the pitchers