A Connecticut jury on Wednesday awarded the former New York Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson damages that are expected to top $500,000 from the ex-landlord of his $55,000-a-month Greenwich, Conn., rental mansion, which he complained was plagued by mold and squirrels.
Mr. Donaldson, 39, terminated the lease about six weeks after moving into the five-bedroom, 4,800-square-foot home in April 2022 with his now-wife, Briana, who was pregnant at the time, and their 17-month-old daughter.
In a federal lawsuit filed in Connecticut in June 2022, the now-retired baseball player accused the home’s owner, Bill Grous, of breach of contract and said that the rental in Greenwich’s backcountry section was a money pit.
The neighborhood, sought after for its sprawling estates and privacy, is a magnet for professional athletes, other celebrities and financiers.
Mr. Donaldson, a former American League Most Valuable Player with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2015, moved into the mansion a few weeks after being traded to the Yankees from the Minnesota Twins.
His two seasons in New York were rocky. Mr. Donaldson struggled to replicate his success and was suspended by Major League Baseball in May 2022 for one game for repeatedly calling Tim Anderson, who is Black and was a shortstop for the Chicago White Sox at the time, “Jackie,” a reference to Jackie Robinson. In August 2023, Mr. Donaldson was released by the Yankees.
In his lawsuit, Mr. Donaldson said that his wife and daughter had both developed congestion and a lingering cough while living in the home. Environmental testing uncovered what the lawsuit described as extensive and widespread infestation of Chaetomium mold and Aspergillus mold throughout several key rooms in the house.
Mr. Donaldson also complained that the main floor of the house was infested with ants and that squirrels had infiltrated the home through a hole in an exterior wall, and had been living in a bedroom ceiling. Some showers did not work, and the pool was littered with shards of tile and concrete from a botched repair job, the lawsuit said.
When the landlord sent workers to the home to deal with the issues, they disrupted Mr. Donaldson’s sleep, according to lawsuit, which noted the importance of rest to a professional athlete.
After demanding the return of his $110,000 security deposit and being told he would not receive it, Mr. Donaldson sued Mr. Grous.
In a counterclaim filing, Mr. Grous said that he had the mold cleaned up and accused Mr. Donaldson of skipping out on $275,000 in unpaid rent after breaking the lease. Mr. Grous also claimed that Mr. Donaldson threw away several of Mr. Grous’s possessions that he had been keeping at the house, including family heirlooms and a bottle of Louis XIII cognac.
After 27 minutes of deliberations on Wednesday, a 10-person jury in U.S. District Court in Hartford sided with Mr. Donaldson.
It awarded Mr. Donaldson $82,393 for incidental damages, including substitute housing, moving and transportation expenses, and $27,000 for emotional harm.
The jury also determined that Mr. Donaldson was owed $110,000 for his security deposit that was not returned, an amount that will double under Connecticut law.
Mr. Donaldson’s lawyers are also planning to pursue compensation for legal expenses that he incurred in the lawsuit, which are expected to bring the total amount awarded to more than $500,000.
Craig M. Cepler, a lawyer for Mr. Donaldson, said in an email on Wednesday that he appreciated that the jury saw through what he said were the various excuses made by Mr. Grous.
“Josh and Briana can now close this difficult chapter of their lives and move forward with their beautiful family,” Mr. Cepler said.
Philip Russell, a lawyer for Mr. Grous, noted that the jury had found that his client did not engage in unfair trade practices, which would be a violation of consumer protection laws.
“We are evaluating an appeal at this time,” Mr. Russell said. “Obviously, we are disappointed with the jury’s verdict.”
Neil Vigdor covers breaking news for The Times, with a focus on politics.
The post Ex-Yankee Is Awarded About $500,000 in Damages for Moldy Greenwich Mansion appeared first on New York Times.
