"Joke or not, I just don't think it's the right thing to do there" - Aaron Judge shares his views on altercation between Josh Donaldson and Tim Anderson
When asked about the comments teammate Josh Donaldson made about Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson, Aaron Judge said that it was not the right thing to do in that situation. Rather than blindly siding with his teammate, Judge decided to come out against the comments made, saying that Josh Donaldson made a mistake.
Aaron Judge's reaction to the Josh Donaldson incident from Saturday
"Joke or not, I just don't think it's the right thing to do there" https://t.co/2S4yQbuSsR
"Aaron Judge's reaction to the Josh Donaldson incident from Saturday. 'Joke or not, I just don't think it's the right thing to do there.'" - @ Yankees Videos
Before the game between the New York Yankees and the Chicago White Sox on May 21, Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson mockingly called White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson Jackie in reference to Jackie Robinson. Anderson is African American, and he, along with members of the White Sox, took offense to this, calling the comment unnecessary and racist.
Aaron Judge thinks Josh Donaldson should "own up to his mistake"
There has been a lot of history between Tim Anderson and Josh Donaldson. They were division rivals when Donaldson was on the Minnesota Twins, and tension has built from the in-division games the two played against each other.
Then, in an earlier Yankees vs. White Sox series, Donaldson blocked the bag at third, which is illegal, when Anderson tried to get back to the bag. Since then, there has been an ongoing feud between the two players. It reached a climax when Donaldson made that comment at the Yankees vs. White Sox game on May 21.
Tim Anderson says Josh Donaldson referred to him as "Jackie [Robinson]" https://t.co/sk8R7HEJ7w
Many of Tim Anderson's teammates and members of the White Sox organization came out against Donaldson and in support of Anderson. White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal confronted Donaldson midway through the game, which caused both benches to clear. Manager Tony La Russa said that the comment was racist and unnecessary.
It is good to see Anderson's teammates and coaches supporting him. However, it is great to see members of the opposing team also come out with their support. It takes a lot of guts to do what Aaron Judge did; it is easy to blindly defend your teammate. Some are saying that this shows Judge's leadership abilities and how good he is at answering tough questions.
Josh Donaldson is currently suspended for one game for the incident. Some are saying he needs to serve more suspension time, and some are saying that he does not deserve a suspension at all. Regardless what happens, what Aaron Judge did shows that he is a true leader who can hold his teammates accountable.