"That's where I got my first bad taste of Alex Rodriguez" - Josh Donaldson reflects on receiving cold treatment from the Yankees legend
Josh Donaldson has recalled the batting cage exchange at the Oakland Coliseum that he says gave him his first bad impression of Alex Rodriguez, in a conversation with former MLB third baseman Evan Lon
Josh Donaldson has recalled the batting cage exchange at the Oakland Coliseum that he says gave him his first bad impression of Alex Rodriguez, in a conversation with former MLB third baseman Evan Longoria on Saturday's episode of the "Get It Done League" podcast.
Donaldson said a poor round of batting practice left him wanting extra work, and that Rodriguez and Hall of Famer Reggie Jackson were in the cage. When the pair saw him peek in, they stopped hitting and started chatting.
“That’s where I got my first bad taste of Alex Rodriguez, the Oakland Coliseum," Donaldson said. "I just finished up batting practice. It didn’t go over very well and A-Rod’s up there. Him and Reggie Jackson are in the batting cage taking their time. I peeked in there. Once they saw I peeked in, they just stopped hitting, and they were just chit-chatting."
"I was like ‘Hey, A-Rod. Do you have a leg kick? I kind of have a leg kick as a righty, what do you got?’ Kind of trying to pick his head a little. He was like, ‘Don’t talk to me.’ I feel like it was the ultimate big league move. Kind of put a bad taste in my mouth.”
In College Sports Network’s account of the episode, Rodriguez also pointed Donaldson toward Jackson as a hitter to learn from, prompting Donaldson to note that Jackson batted left-handed. Donaldson said there were other occasions when he felt disrespected by Rodriguez. No public response from Rodriguez had been reported as of Monday.
Donaldson played for the Athletics from 2010 to 2014 and later spent two seasons with the Yankees, who acquired him in 2022 and released him in August 2023.
Alex Rodriguez reveals 2026 World Series prediction
Alex Rodriguez, who now works as an analyst for FOX Sports, gave his World Series prediction on the pregame show before Game 1, picking Milwaukee to win the Fall Classic in seven games.
“Best two teams, best two defenses, the best two everything," Rodriguez said. "I’m going with home field advantage on a walk-off, the Brewers in 7.”
The Brewers, playing their first World Series game since 1982, beat the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2 in Friday’s opener in Milwaukee. They doubled their advantage by winning Game 2, coming back from four runs down to win 5-4.
