Just in time for July 4, we've got a fresh baseball beef grilling up.
Josh Donaldson has been one of baseball's most vocal critics about pitchers using sticky stuff to gain an advantage, famously naming Gerrit Cole as an offender at the beginning of June.
On Tuesday, the Twins third baseman took White Sox starter Lucas Giolito deep and had some words louder than the crack of the bat as he crossed home plate.
Josh Donaldson after a home run, to Lucas Giolito:
— MLB Foreign Substance Checks (@StickyCheck) June 30, 2021
“Hand’s not sticky anymore!!” pic.twitter.com/sM0Y6lffuw
FAGAN: Your team needs a starting pitcher? Good luck with that
"It's not sticky anymore," Donaldson yelled after touching home plate.
Giolito responded to Donaldson's trash talk after the game.
ICYMI...Lucas Giolito took exception to the Twins' Josh Donaldson talking smack after hitting a first inning HR. pic.twitter.com/Y6RIq2gCDn
— ESPN White Sox (@ESPNWhiteSox) June 30, 2021
"He's a f—ing pest," Giolito said. "That's kind of a classless move. If you're gonna talk s—, talk s— to my face. Don't go cross home plate and all that. Just come to me. Now it's just annoying. We won, the W's next to my name, he's in last place."
Yikes.
Donaldson's quest against the sticky substances continues, and regardless of whether you agree with the trash talk, he may have found another offender in Giolito.
Giolito, who hasn't been overly dominant in 2021, had a noticeable drop in spin rate on his fastball between his June 16 and June 22 starts (2476 rpm to 2226 rpm) with his June 29 start vs. the Twins slightly up from his June 22 start, but not by much (up to 2239).
The league announced June 15 that 10-game suspensions would come to anyone found using foreign substances.
It's also worth noting that Giolito's spin rate has been up overall since coming into the league, with his average four-seamer spin higher in 2021 than it's ever been.
The White Sox took the 7-6 win in Chicago. He who laughs last, laughs loudest, and all.
