Yankees’ Josh Donaldson initially thinks he’s hit a home run before being ousted in ALDS Game 1

Josh Donaldson thought he had hit a homerun for the New York Yankees against the Cleveland Guardians in ALDS Game 1, only for the ball to hit the top of wall and come back into play. 

New York’s third baseman was ultimately tagged out after running past first base on what he thought was initially a home run walk in the fifth inning. 

With the score tied at 1-1, Oscar Gonzalez, of the Guardians, picked up the ball and threw it straight to Andres Gimenez, who was the player who threw out Donaldson at first. 

Josh Donaldson, of the Yankees, is tagged out at first base before his home run was ruled out

Fans reached for a ball hit by Donaldson as it bounced off the top of wall during the 6th inning

Donaldson, the Yankees’ third baseman, has not yet gotten on the scoreboard in the playoffs 

The bizarre chain of events was certainly a rarity in the modern games. Officials reviewed the play, before chalking off the homerun and confirming that Donaldson was out.

Isiah Kiner-Falefa then followed by hitting a triple into the right field corner. Catcher Jose Trevino’s sacrifice fly put the team’s shortstop on the scoreboard and the home crown erupted as New York took the lead 2-1.

Nevertheless, Yankees fans took to Twitter to discuss Donaldson’s near-home run, with some of them blaming supporters at Yankees Stadium for not catching the ball. 

‘If the Yankees had better fielding fans, Donaldson would have had a double,’ one user reacted. 

‘Josh Donaldson pimped a single and paid the price,’ Barstool Sports’ social media account joked. 

‘Josh Donaldson, a man who has probably gotten very angry at players who didn’t run it out, didn’t run it out,’ another fan pointed out in his tweet. 

Yankees fans mocked the bizarre chain of events on Twitter shortly after the run was ruled out

‘Only Josh Donaldson could have the entire stadium thinking he hit a home run then get thrown out 2 seconds later,’ said a bemused user. 

‘Josh Donaldson is the husband who says he did the dishes but didn’t even hit the start button on the dishwasher,’ quipped a different individual. 

‘Josh Donaldson went into his home run trot on a ball that remained in play. After review, call on the field is confirmed, and he’s out at first base,’ Yankees reporter for MLB.com, Bryan Hoch, tweeted. 

Other fans made several euphemisms, with some saying it could only happen to Donaldson 

‘Donaldson leads the league in pimping balls that didn’t go over the wall,’ another user wrote in a sarcastic tweet. 

The 36-year-old former baseman for the Oakland Athletics, Toronto Blue Jays, Cleveland Guardians, Atlanta Braves and Minnesota Twins, has 15 home runs this season with a batting average of .222. 

He also registered 59 runs, 106 hits and 62 RBI in 132 games played this year. 

Despite Donaldson’s failed attempt, the Yankees managed to secure a 4-1 win over the Guardians and take Game One of the series following home runs from Harrison Bader and Anthony Rizzo.