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Josh Donaldson has only hit leadoff in seven regular-season games throughout his 11-year MLB career.
But the Yankees third baseman has been a frequent name atop Aaron Boone’s lineup this spring and looks to be settling right in.
Donaldson led off Sunday’s game against the Blue Jays with a walk and later added two hits, including his third home run of Grapefruit League play, in a 7-5 loss at TD Ballpark.
“Part of it is you get to set the tone early on,” Donaldson said. “But I try to take my approach and at-bat pretty similar no matter where I’m at.”
In nine games this spring after getting traded to the Yankees from the Twins in the opening days of camp, Donaldson is batting 9-for-25. In each of the past five games he has played in, the 36-year-old hit leadoff, going 7-for-16 with two walks and four runs scored.
“I don’t want to say I’m completely dialed in right now, but I feel good about where I’m at and how my body feels and is recovering on a day-to-day basis,” Donaldson said. “I feel ready to go. I feel like it’s a good time to get going.”
With two days left in camp, the Yankees still have a few roster decisions left to make. But Boone likes where his team is at.
“I think we’re a better team right now than we were at any points of last year,” he said. “I would say a more complete team. But it’s April 3, so that’s great and all, but we got to go do it.”
Luis Severino said his arm felt good and that he had “normal” soreness on Sunday following his encouraging outing on Saturday — unlike after his previous start.
“Usually when I pitch, I have tightness in my back and that’s it,’’ Severino said. “I’m not tight in my shoulder or elbow. Now it’s just my back.”
Severino said he plans on playing catch Monday and will prepare as usual for his scheduled start on Saturday against the Red Sox in The Bronx.
Kyle Higashioka said he hasn’t done much to his swing in the offseason to lead to the power surge this spring that’s resulted in a team-high seven homers.
“Nothing groundbreaking,’’ Higashioka said at Steinbrenner Field. “Little tweaks to the swing. It’s just learning to trust my approach and creating a good approach and refining that process.”
“I think at this point it’s like I’m in a car with no brakes. You’ve just got to keep going. If I try to stop, it’s gonna crash and burn.’’
Higashioka has in part credited Donaldson for his strong spring, having previously modeled his swing after the former MVP, but Donaldson redirected the praise.
“I’m just giving him some nuggets every now and then that I’ve learned throughout my career,” Donaldson said. “He’s the one that’s taken the bull by the horns and really done a good job with that.”
After the game, the Yankees assigned right-hander Shelby Miller and catchers Rob Brantly, David Freitas and Max McDowell to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
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