MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Former Minnesota Twins third baseman Josh Donaldson had harsh words for his old team and the state of Minnesota.
The comments came up on his podcast, Get It Done League, as he weighed in on the Twins' trade deadline acquisition of pitcher Jeff Hoffman.
He referenced the state's "Minnesota Nice" reputation before adding that he didn't think fans there cared much about baseball, and called his own two seasons with the team mediocre at best.
The comments spread quickly after Twins Daily's Parker Hageman posted a clip on X, prompting a wave of replies from Twins fans still weighing in on Donaldson's up-and-down run with the team.
The Twins signed Donaldson to a four-year, $92 million contract in January 2020, then traded him to the New York Yankees ahead of the 2022 season.
Health was a recurring issue during his time in Minnesota. He posted an .829 OPS when he was on the field, but appeared in only 28 games in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season and 135 in 2021, sitting out the Twins' entire 2020 playoff run with an injury, according to Twins Daily.
Fans and teammates also had mixed feelings about him personally. His outspoken attitude and a handful of controversial remarks made him a divisive presence in the clubhouse.
Donaldson played two more seasons, with the Yankees and Milwaukee Brewers, before hanging up his cleats in 2023.
These days, he sits behind the mic instead, co-hosting Get It Done League alongside former MLB catcher Russell Martin and broadcaster Arash Madani.
Sign up for free local newsletters and alerts for the
Minneapolis Patch
Patch.com is the nationwide leader in hyperlocal news.
Visit Patch.com to find your town today.