Donaldson, Cole quash purported beef: 'Me and him are boys now'

Josh Donaldson and Gerrit Cole are getting along just fine now that they're on the same team.

"Me and him are boys now," Donaldson said during a recent appearance on the "R2C2" podcast hosted by New York Yankees legend CC Sabathia and broadcaster Ryan Ruocco.

"My fiance hangs out with his wife, our kids had a playdate ... I love baseball, Gerrit loves baseball. He loves to talk baseball, (and) so do I. At the end of the day, we're going to have conversations, which is cool."

There was some conjecture that the two superstars would cause friction in the clubhouse after the Yankees acquired Donaldson in a blockbuster deal with the Minnesota Twins during spring training. The former MVP called out Cole last year for his spin rate suddenly plummeting following MLB's crackdown on sticky substances.

Donaldson has been one of the most vocal critics of pitchers using pine tar, Spider Tack, and other illegal substances to improve their grip on the ball. The three-time All-Star also got into a disagreement with Chicago White Sox ace Lucas Giolito.

Cole, the highest-paid pitcher in MLB history, is arguably the central figure for the Yankees during this current competitive window. The 31-year-old is entering the third year of a nine-year, $324-million contract and is off to a rough start, posting a 5.59 ERA and 6.08 FIP in two games.