NEW YORK - Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson feels the pressure to get into a new market and make a strong first impression.
"Everyone feels that way," Donaldson said. "You have to be confident in your process and how you go about your business."
The moment for Donaldson to really trust his process came at the bottom of the 11th inning against rival Boston Red Sox on Opening Day with Isiah Kinner-Falefa opening the innings at second base. Donaldson, 36, needed to rely on the process that led him to 251 career homers and an MVP award before moving to New York via trade from the Minnesota Twins.
And at a 90.1 mph cutter from Red Sox reliever Crawford, that process — how Donaldson has been in the big leagues for 11 years about his business — came through Friday, as he hit a single in the middle past the Red Sox. U.S. fielders Xander Bogarts and Trevor Storey are knocking out the winning run in a 6-5 win and allowing Yankee Stadium DJs to "New York, New York" by Frank Sinatra for the first time this season.
In the process, Donaldson became the third Yankees player to record a walk-off RBI on his Yankees debut, Roy Weatherly in 1943 and Chase Headley in 2014, since becoming an official stat of the RBI in 1920, according to research by the Elias Sports Bureau. joined in.
"The [walk-off] is probably going to be out, but I think the team wins, the team's resilience - it's going to lead to good things in the future," said Donaldson, who finished the day 2-for-6. Did.
Friday marked an entry in Donaldson's Red Sox-Yankees rivalry.
"It's a good feeling to be in an environment where there is an expectation of winning," Donaldson said. "It's always fun to play in these types of games, especially if both sides are expected to win."
Yankees manager Aaron Boone said that even if Donaldson's at-bat in 11th was going in a different direction, he would not be concerned about Donaldson's ability to adjust to playing in the bright New York lights.
"There's a level of willingness to adapt themselves to the new city, the new people, the fans, the teammates," Boone said. "But the way JD is, whether it comes or not, I'm not worried about it going forward."