Chicago White Sox star shortstop Tim Anderson has accused New York Yankees slugger Josh Donaldson of making racist remarks calling him Jackie Robinson during Saturday’s game against New York.
“He’s just made a disrespectful remark, you know,” said Anderson, who is African-American.
Anderson added after New York’s 6-5 win at Yankee Stadium, “I don’t think it was called for.
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Anderson, an all-star shortstop who is one of the leading black voices in baseball, told Sports Illustrated in 2019: “I feel like some kind of Jackie Robinson of today … because he has changed the game, and I need to change the game. “
“I used to call him Jackie,” Donaldson said in the first inning. The 36-year-old, who is white, added that he had “joked” with Anderson in the past using the same references and referred to the 2019 Sports Illustrated interview.
Robinson broke the Major League Baseball color barrier in 1947. Every team in the big leagues has retired its No. 42 in honor of the struggle, sacrifice and social impact of his game and beyond.
“I mean, it’s not a word to try to be racist by any truth on the subject,” Donaldson said. “Of course, he thought it was disrespectful,” he said. “And look, if he did, I apologize. I wasn’t trying to do that, and that’s what happened.”
Donaldson scrapped with Anderson after a hard tag in Chicago on May 13, and Anderson responded with a push that cleared the benches and bullpen. Donaldson said Saturday that he was “trying to alleviate” any long-standing tensions when players crossed paths early in the game.
Anderson said Donaldson made “Jackie” in the first two innings: “I saved him then and then it happened again.”
White Sox manager Tony La Rousseau called Donaldson’s remarks “racist,” adding that “as strong as it is.”
In the third inning, Donaldson made a second base round after being knocked out in the final, and the teams began to shake with Anderson as they entered the field. Donaldson was taken off the field by Yankees manager Aaron Boone and Anderson was led by third base coach Joe McEwing.
In the fifth, White Sox catcher Yasmani Grendel got up from his crutch and confronted Donaldson as he approached the plate.
“Trust me, you don’t want me to tell you what I told him,” Grandel told reporters.
The barking continues as the reliever rushes out of the bullpen and the benches become empty, Larusao yells at Donaldson. Anderson also yelled at Donaldson as he was restrained by White Sox slager Jose Abreu and infielder Gavin Sheets. A few minutes later, the umpires alerted both sides and Donaldson struck out.
“This game has gone through a period where a lot of these comments were meant, and I think we’ve gotten past that,” Grandell said after the game. “And that’s just unacceptable. I thought it was a minor injury. I want to make sure I’m back in my team. There’s no way to allow you to say that.”
Boone says of the incident: “I know … some of it. I have to go deeper. “
Last season with Minnesota, Donaldson got into an altercation with the White Sox when he was shown shouting “no more sticky” – after hitting Homer against Chicago star Lucas Giolito – citing a substance used by a pitcher to control the ball.
Earlier in the game, Yankees’ DJ Lemahiu won the second Grand Slam of his career, capturing five runs in the second inning of the Dallas Quechels (2-4).
Isaiah Kinar-Falefa made a home run, Donaldson was grounded by RBI and Anthony Rizzo picked up a sacrifice fly as the Yankees improved to 29-10. This is their best 39-game start since the team opened 30-9 in 1998 and coincides with the third-best start in team history.
Abreu hit Homer for three off Nestor Curtis. The White Sox have lost to the Yankees 10 times in 12 games. Anderson has reached singles twice and thrice.
Curtis, who entered the MLB-best 1.35 ERA among qualified pitchers, allowed three runs and six hits in five innings. It was the 17th consecutive start he allowed three or fewer runs – the second longest in the team’s history.
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