Former Blue Jay, AL MVP Retires After 13 Seasons

Josh Donaldson announced his retirement after 13 seasons during an appearance on The Mayor’s Office with Sean Casey podcast on Monday. The veteran third baseman had finished out the year with the Milwaukee Brewers after being released by the New York Yankees in August. Unfortunately, Donaldson wasn’t going to be a priority target for teams as he came off the worst season of his career. He hit a robust .142/.225/.434 in 34 games for the Yankees. In Milwaukee, his production was slightly better, managing to hit .169/.290/.390. 13 of his 25 hits for the season were home runs.

“There was a time at the end of the [2023] season where I really felt good about where I as at,” Donaldson said on the podcast. “I wanted to try to give it one more go, but being home with the family, getting married, today is sad. But, also a happy day for me where I am announcing my retirement from the game I’ve dedicated my entire life around.”

Josh Donaldson Announces Retirement at 38

Donaldson’s best seasons came during his four-year tenure with the Toronto Blue Jays. It included a stellar 2015 campaign during which he hit .297 with a .939 OPS, 41 home runs and 123 RBI en route to his MVP nod. He remained a productive player for several more seasons, posting above-average offensive numbers in 2021. However, his production hit a decline following a trade to New York.