"Brian Cashman says Josh Donaldson is the Yankees’ third baseman next year" - Pat Ragazzo on Yankees GM

At the Yankees' post-mortem press conference last week, Brian Cashman and Aaron Boone stated their confidence in Josh Donaldson, the Yankees' third baseman. At the GM meeting on Tuesday, Cashman reiterated this view.

"Here at GM meetings, Brian Cashman says Josh Donaldson is the Yankees’ third baseman next year."

"Cash went on to laud Donaldson’s defense and says his offense is better than what he showed last season, they believe he still has a lot left"

Donaldson was undoubtedly a one-sided force for the Yankees in 2022, playing third base with his customary excellent defense, but his bat was far from impressive. His postseason struggles contributed to a career-low .682 OPS and a playoff record-tying seven straight games in which he struck out numerous times. However, Donaldson will return to the Yankees in 2023, the fourth year of a four-year, $92 million contract.

Is it wise to keep Donaldson on the Yankees roster for '23?

It is challenging to understand why Cashman is still supporting Donaldson. In his 546 plate appearances, he had a dismal batting line of .222/.308/.374, hitting 15 home runs and 28 doubles. Although Statcast predicted that Donaldson would have a batting line of 215/292/370 for the season, his actual performance was worse than expected.

All of his other batted ball metrics also decreased during the same period. Even though his exit velocity, hard hit rate, and barrel rate were still above normal, he did not inflict as much harm. Donaldson will turn 37-years-old the following year. It's tough to see that altering.

Cashman refuses to take ownership of his errors and is continuously searching for a positive aspect to support his decisions. The "Yanks" will continue to fall short of their objective—winning another championship—due to their lack of responsibility and justifications. It was enough to give a New York supporter a cause for dismay.

New York should know better; the art of leveraging a deal

"Brian Cashman discusses Josh Donaldson and Isiah Kiner-Falefa and their 2022 seasons." - YESNetwork

In a media interview on Tuesday, Cashman said that despite Donaldson's large contract, he will continue to play third base for the team in 2023. New York should unquestionably try to offload and reallocate his $21 million salary, which is still owed to him in the last year of his contract.

To begin with, the $21 million would cover the majority of Aaron Judge's contract; additionally, it would enable them to make investments in other crucial areas. Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who earned a Gold Glove at third base a few years ago, is still on the team's roster.

Given that, the Yankees organization and their devoted fan base can only hope that Donaldson improves the quality of his play. Donaldson's finest days are likely behind him.