White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson spoke Tuesday about the confrontation between him and Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson, in which the latter referred to Anderson as “Jackie” during the weekend meeting in the Bronx. Anderson said this wasn’t the first time Donaldson had referred to him as “Jackie,” and that he told him not to do so when it first occurred in 2019.
“I told him, we never have to talk again. I won’t speak to you, you won’t speak to me, if that’s how you’re going to refer to me,” Anderson said, per ESPN’s Jesse Rogers. “I knew he knew exactly what he was doing.”
Donaldson said after the game that the reference was an inside joke between he and Anderson, who called himself “today’s Jackie Robinson” in an interview with Sports Illustrated in 2019. Anderson called the interaction “disrespectful,” and that the two had had no interactions since then. Donaldson was later suspended for one game for his actions, a ruling he is now appealing.
“Regardless of Mr. Donaldson’s intent, the comment he directed toward Mr. Anderson was disrespectful and in poor judgement, particularly when viewed in the context of their prior interactions,” MLB senior VP for on-field operations Michael Hill said in a statement. “In addition, Mr. Donaldson’s remark was a contributing factor in a bench-clearing incident between the teams, and warrants discipline.”
As for Anderson, he said he didn’t have opinion on Donaldson getting suspended, but insisted he had no interest in having a relationship with him and is ready to put the incident behind him.
“I can definitely move on,” Anderson said. “But I’m not looking for no friendship or relationship from that behalf.”
