Yankees’ Aaron Judge slams teammate Josh Donaldson for Jackie Robinson remarks to Tim Anderson

A prominent New York judge has issued a sharp rebuke to Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson over an allegedly racist comment to black White Sox star Tim Anderson. 

‘Joke or not, I don’t think it’s the right thing to do there,’ Yankees slugger Aaron Judge told reporters following Monday’s loss in Baltimore two days after Donaldson nearly ignited a brawl by making a pair of Jackie Robinson references to Chicago‘s Anderson.

Following a Major League Baseball investigation, Donaldson was subsequently fined and suspended for one game, although the third baseman plans to appeal, according to multiple reports. 

He admittedly called Anderson ‘Jackie’ twice during Saturday’s win at Yankee Stadium, likening the All-Star shortstop to Robinson, who famously broke MLB’s color line when he debuted for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. Donaldson, who is white, said he made the remark to Anderson on previous occasions following a 2019 Sports Illustrated piece in which the shortstop compared himself to the civil rights icon. 

Although Donaldson has denied any racist intent behind the comment, instead saying he was trying to defuse tensions with Anderson after the two got into a shoving match in Chicago on May 13, White Sox manager Tony La Russa described the comment as racist and Anderson has since agreed.

New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge (left) says it is time to move on after Josh Donaldson’s controversial ‘Jackie Robinson’ remark to Chicago’s Tim Anderson, but did rebuke his teammate (right).

Jose Abreu #79 holds back Tim Anderson #7 of the Chicago White Sox after a benches-clearing dispute between Yasmani Grandal #24 of the Chicago White Sox (not pictured) and Josh Donaldson #28 of the New York Yankees (not pictured) during the fifth inning at Yankee Stadium on Saturday. Donaldson admittedly called Anderson ‘Jackie’ twice during Saturday’s win at Yankee Stadium, likening the All-Star shortstop to Robinson, who famously broke MLB’s color line when he debuted for the Brooklyn Dodgers in 1947. Donaldson, who is white, said he made the remark to Anderson on previous occasions following a 2019 Sports Illustrated piece in which the shortstop compared himself to the civil rights icon

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Judge said the comment was a poor choice, ‘given the history, especially the [May 13 game] in Chicago and the little bit of beef between Anderson and [Donaldson].

‘Anderson is one of the best shortstops in the game and is a big part of MLB and how we can grow the game,’ Judge continued. ‘[Donaldson] getting a one-game suspension … I don’t know. He made a mistake, owned up to it and we’ve got to move on.’

According to Judge, Donaldson did address the comment with teammates, saying he was making a reference to the 2019 SI article in which Anderson said: ‘I kind of feel like today’s Jackie Robinson.

‘He’s a pro,’ Judge said of Donaldson. ‘He talked to all of us and filled us in on what he was referring to. But still, I don’t think it was the right move at all.

‘We’re grown men,’ Judge continued. ‘He owned up to what he did. That’s all you can ask, especially when we’re playing games every day. Can’t sit here and linger on a lot. … You learn from it when you make a mistake.’

Major League Baseball has issued a one-game suspension to New York Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson (left) over his allegedly racist Jackie Robinson reference to Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson (right) during Saturday’s game 

Tim Anderson #7 of the Chicago White Sox rounds the bases after hitting a three-run home run during the eighth inning of Game Two of a doubleheader against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on May 22, 2022 in the Bronx

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Donaldson said he was trying to defuse the situation. The benches also emptied on May 13 after Anderson shoved Donaldson following a hard tag in Chicago (pictured)

Yankees manager Aaron Boone (right) said he talked to Donaldson (left) after Saturday’s game and believed his player’s explanation for why he made the ‘Jackie’ remark – but he also said he thought Donaldson shouldn´t have used the term

Although Yankees manager Aaron Boone condemned the comment, he said he did not think Donaldson had any racist intent, and has since added that he disagrees with the one-game suspension.

‘They did their due diligence and made what was a tough call,’ Boone said. ‘I don’t agree with it. I don’t think it warranted a suspension.’

White Sox manager Tony La Russa said he thinks Donaldson’s comment was ‘racist’

Anderson did not speak with the media on Sunday after homering in the second game of a doubleheader in the Bronx. 

Following the ‘Jackie’ comments on Saturday, White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal confronted Donaldson in the fifth inning, prompting both benches to clear, although no punches were ever thrown.

‘In this clubhouse, we have TA’s back in everything,’ said White Sox closer Liam Hendriks – a one-time teammate of Donaldson’s in Toronto. ‘And that was just a completely unacceptable thing.’

Hendriks, who is white, did not hide his contempt for Donaldson’s comment.

‘Usually you have inside jokes with people you get along with, not people who don’t get along at all,’ the White Sox closer said Sunday. ‘So that statement right there was complete bulls****.’

Another White Sox reliever, Joe Kelly, also criticized Donaldson over the comment.

‘The guy is a douche,’ Kelly told Chicago sports radio station 670 The Score. ‘That’s horrible. That’s not tolerated in any kind of sport … Whatever it is, it wasn’t for good intentions.’

On Saturday, White Sox catcher Yasmani Grandal confronted Donaldson before a fifth-inning at-bat, leading to a benches-clearing incident in which no punches were thrown and no one was ejected