The news that Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson was headed to the 10-day injured list with a calf strain last weekend felt almost merciful.
Such has been the nature of Donaldson’s season—a dreadful few months, interrupted in the spring by a hamstring injury, making for easily the worst stretch of his career. The numbers speak for themselves. The veteran is hitting .142. (The Mendoza Line is but a hazy glimmer on the horizon.) While he’s shown his typical power—10 home runs in 34 games—he’s offered almost nothing else. The recovery timetable for his current injury is uncertain, and Donaldson told reporters Monday that his season may be over. Simply put, it’s been a maddening, terrible year for him.
It’s also been historically unlucky.
