AROUND THE HORN
Yankees: Major League Baseball suspended Josh Donaldson for one game Monday after the Yankees slugger made multiple references to Jackie Robinson while talking to White Sox star Tim Anderson during the weekend. Donaldson also was fined an undisclosed amount for his actions Saturday at Yankee Stadium. The punishment was announced by Michael Hill, the senior vice president of on-field operations for MLB. Donaldson has elected to appeal the penalty. Shortly before the suspension was announced, the Yankees said Donaldson had been put on the COVID19 injured list. “MLB has completed the process of speaking to the individuals involved in this incident. There is no dispute over what was said on the field. Regardless of Mr. Donaldson’s intent, the comment he directed toward Mr. Anderson was disrespectful and in poor judgment, particularly when viewed in the context of their prior interactions,” Hill said in a statement. “In addition, Mr. Donaldson’s remark was a contributing factor in a bench-clearing incident between the teams, and warrants discipline.” White Sox pitching coach Ethan Katz didn’t think the penalty was enough. “... What’s the point or message behind a 1 game suspension? This is incredibly disappointing and plain frustrating,” Katz posted on Twitter. The White Sox and Yankees aren’t scheduled to play again this season. Donaldson said he twice called Anderson by “Jackie” — as in Robinson, who famously broke MLB’s color barrier in 1947 — during the Yankees’ 7-5 win on Saturday. The benches and bullpens emptied as tensions escalated. Anderson, one of baseball’s leading Black voices and an All-Star shortstop, said it was a “disrespectful comment.” White Sox manager Tony La Russa said it was racist, and Anderson agreed. “Basically, it was trying to call me Jackie Robinson. Like, ‘What’s up, Jackie?’ ” Anderson said after Saturday’s game. Donaldson, who’s white, said he had used the “Jackie” reference in the past with Anderson, who had said he viewed himself as a potential modern-day Robinson in a 2019 interview with Sports Illustrated. “My meaning of that is not any term trying to be racist by any fact of the matter,” Donaldson said Saturday. Yankees manager Aaron Boone said he talked to Donaldson 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.
Extra innings: The Cardinals placed C Yadier Molina was placed on the bereavement list Monday. ... The Padres placed RHP Mike Clevinger on the 15-day IL on Sunday because of a triceps strain. Clevinger, who didn’t pitch last season after recovering from his second Tommy John surgery, said he felt tightness in the area of his right triceps after pitching five scoreless innings last week against the Phillies. ... Nationals RHP Stephen Strasburg will begin a rehabilitation assignment Tuesday with Single-A Fredericksburg. Strasburg, 33, is recovering from thoracic outlet syndrome surgery and has pitched a total of 26 ⅔ innings since the start of the 2020 season.