New York Yankees’ Gerrit Cole, Josh Donaldson meet to clear the air over year’s sticky-stuff dispute


New York Yankees’ Gerrit Cole, Josh Donaldson meet to clear the air over year’s sticky-stuff dispute

Josh Donaldson and Gerrit Cole

The last time pitcher Gerrit Cole and third baseman Josh Donaldson crossed paths, they were engaged in a public battle. This incident took place after the latter made the New York Yankees’ ace the poster child for Major League Baseball (MLB)’s crackdown on pitchers using illegal foreign substances last summer.

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So of all the players, general manager Brian Cashman could have traded for to upgrade the roster, Donaldson would have seemed an unlikely candidate. But that’s just what the American baseball executive did on Sunday night — but not before notifying Cole.

Because of how the public side of this thing played out last year … I owed him that phone call,’’ Cashman said Monday. “I just explained, obviously, ‘We’ve got a transaction that’s going to solve a lot of areas of need, but not sure where this other aspect sits. If it is an issue, it’s something we’ll have to work through.’ He’s like, ‘I’ll be fine.’ He was excited about the opportunity to upgrade in a lot of areas.”

“Donaldson has an edge that’s special and fun to watch”

It’s not all that uncommon for [Cashman] to fill me in on stuff before it hits the wire,’’ Cole said. “There’s probably a little extra reason why he reached out specifically [Sunday] night. Look, if you’re committed to winning a championship, this kind of stuff doesn’t matter.”

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Cole called it a “good conversation.”

“I think he has an edge that’s special and fun to watch, and if you’re on his team, you very much appreciate it,’’ Cole said. “On the other side of the field, it’s something you have to overcome.”

Of the dispute, Cole said, “Where my feet are today, it’s in the rearview mirror.”

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