This past week, Josh Donaldson announced that he would be retiring from major league baseball. Being a Toronto native, I’m selfishly admitting that the highlights of Donaldson’s career were with the Toronto Blue Jays. Here is my list of Donaldson’s top 10 moments as a Blue Jays player.
#10 – Helping Out for a Cause – Marco Estrada’s Bid for a “Perfect Game”
Moment #10 happened at none other than the grotesque Tropicana Field. It was the Blue Jays vs. Tampa Bay Rays, on June 24, 2015. Blue Jays pitcher Marco Estrada was on the mound in the bottom of the 8th inning in a neck-to-neck game. In fact, no Rays’ player had reached base.
What was a foul ball that might have landed a few rows into the seats turned into a spectacular catch by Donaldson. The result was a much-needed out in Estrada’s bid for a perfect game. Sadly, Estrada didn’t get his perfect game. However, he did achieve a career highlight that day.
#9 – Big Tag
In thinking about the previous moment against the Rays, highlight #9 is a moment involving these same two clubs. It happened on September 27, 2015. In the top of the 8th inning, a Rays runner was on third. A “chopper” from the bat of Rays Evan Longoria was perfectly snatched by Donaldson, who made an incredible tag play as Rays Mikie Mahtook tried to get an advanced lead to score. Donaldson beat him back to third to prevent a run in a very competitive ball game.
#8 – Donaldson Stops by MLB Network to Share his MVP-Worthy Batting Approach
Featured on the MLB Network, in the video below, Donaldson chats with former MLB slugger Mark DeRosa. The conversation became a riveting insight for fans from MLB’s ‘top all-around player’ in the year following his 2015 MVP award.
#7 – Donaldson’s Homerun ‘Trifecta’ Game
On August 28, 2016, (the season following his MVP season), the Blue Jays faced the Minnesota Twins. In this game, Donaldson hit three big home runs to sweep the Twins.
#6 – ‘Getting the uniform dirty’
In the 2016 ALDS Game 3 (the deciding game) between the Blue Jays and the Texas Rangers, Donaldson raced home from second base to score the series-deciding run. That run led the Jays to the ALCS championship.
#5 – Donaldson Speaks Out Following a Sweep at the Hands of the Houston Astros
After a sweep claimed by the Houston Astros in a 2015 regular season series, Donaldson made his famous statement, “This isn’t the try league, this is the get it done league.”
#4 – The Home Crowd Gets Into It
Donaldson hits a walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth of the September 27, 2015, game against the Tampa Bay Rays to secure a playoff spot. He would become American League MVP that season.
#3 – ‘Turning on the Jetpacks’
In a late-season matchup between the Cleveland Indians (now known as the “Guardians”) on September 23, 2015, Donaldson dashed home and evaded Indians’ catcher Yan Gomes’ tag.
#2 – Donaldson joins elite Jays company
In a late-season series against the Tampa Bay Rays, Donaldson hit his 40th home run. With that blast, he joined Blue Jays hitting greats Shawn Green and Carlos Delgado as the only Blue Jays players to register 40 doubles and 40 home runs in the same season. Fittingly, this was his MVP season.
#1 – ….and the 2015 American League MVP ….. Josh Donaldson
At the end of the 2015 regular season, Josh Donaldson was voted the American League’s MVP. Winning that trophy after a remarkable season for the Blue Jays had to be the highlight of his major league career.
That’s my list of Donaldson’s 10 greatest highlights with the Blue Jays. This article could have been longer because he provided many more memories. Now, at the end of his MLB career, Donaldson will be best remembered as one of the all-time Blue Jays greats.
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