A FORMER New York Yankees star was awarded thousands in damages after suing his ex-landlord over an unsightly problem in his $55,000 per month mansion.
Josh Donaldson, who used to be the third baseman for the Bronx Bombers, is expected to receive $500,000 in damages after complaining about mold in his Greenwich, Connecticut, rental mansion.
Former Yankees third baseman Josh Donaldson was awarded thousands after suing his former landlord[/caption]
Donaldson claims his family suffered health issues after moving into a mansion in Greenwich, Connecticut[/caption]
Just six weeks after moving into the five-bedroom, 4,800-square-foot home in April 2022, Donaldson terminated his lease, moving his now-wife, Briana, and their then 17-month-old daughter.
At the time of the move, Briana Donaldson was pregnant with the couple’s second child.
In June of that year, Donaldson filed a federal lawsuit accusing the home’s owner, Bill Grous, of breach of contract, saying that the mansion was a money pit.
Donaldson moved to the home after being traded to the Yankees from the Minnesota Twins.
In the lawsuit, Donaldson claims that his wife and daughter developed a lingering cough and congestion while living in the home.
Environmental testing was done on the home and uncovered a widespread infestation of Chaetomium mold and Aspergillus mold throughout several rooms, according to the lawsuit.
Donaldson also complained that the main floor of the home was infested with ants and that squirrels infiltrated the home through a home in an exterior wall.
The lawsuit also claimed that some of the showers didn’t work, and the pool was littered with tile shards and concrete from botched repairs.
The landlord sent workers to deal with the issues; however, Donaldson claims they disrupted his sleep schedule, which he called important as a professional athlete.
Donaldson demanded that his $110,000 security deposit be returned, but when he was refused, he sued Grous.
Grous filed a counterclaim, arguing that the mold had been cleaned up and accusing Donaldson of $275,000 in unpaid rent after breaking the lease.
Grous also claimed that Donaldson threw away several of his items that he kept at the house, including family heirlooms and a bottle of Louis XIII cognac.
The case went to trial with a 10-person jury, which deliberated for 27 minutes before eventually siding with Donaldson in June 2025.
The jury decided that Donaldson was owed $82,393 for incidental damages, including moving and transportation expenses, and $27,000 for emotional harm.
Donaldson was also awarded $110,000 for his security deposit that wasn’t returned, which will be doubled under Connecticut law.
The former athlete’s lawyers are also looking to pursue compensation for legal expenses, which are expected to bring the total amount to more than $500,000.
“Josh and Briana can now close this difficult chapter of their lives and move forward with their beautiful family,” Craig M. Celper, Donaldson’s lawyer, told the New York Times.
The jury also found that Grous wasn’t entitled to deduct damages and that he failed to comply with his obligations under the lease.
Meanwhile, Grous’ lawyer, Philip Russell, told the outlet that the jury found that his client didn’t engage in unfair trade practices.
“We are evaluating an appeal at this time,” said Russell.
“And we’re disappointed with the verdict. This was a surprise because it’s a very nice house and he’s a very nice landlord. He tried mightily to accommodate their need for a house on four days’ notice.
“Obviously, we are disappointed with the jury’s verdict.
He claimed the mansion suffered from mold and animal infestations[/caption]
However, his ex-landlord claimed Donaldson skipped out on his rent[/caption]
