• Loading stock data...
Wednesday, August 27, 2025
Front Office Sports Honors winners are here! View the 2025 winners
Law

Josh Donaldson Settles With Mold Landlord for $729K

The former Yankee will receive more than $700,000 from the owner of a Greenwich, Ct. mansion where he briefly lived.

Josh Donaldson
Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images

Josh Donaldson’s lawsuit against his former landlord has officially ended with a high six-figure settlement. 

Donaldson will receive roughly $729,000 from Bill Grous, whom he rented a Connecuticut mansion from during his first year with the Yankees in 2022. The two sides reached a post-verdict deal on Friday to end their dispute, according to court documents. 

The three-time All Star sued Grous claiming a breached lease due to mold in the mansion that caused coughs and congestion to him, his now-wife and then-infant daughter and alleged Grous was slow to act on it and failed to communicate with the family. 

The $729,000 includes the $222,000 judgment a jury awarded Donaldson in June, which included incidental damages such as moving, alternate housing and increased transportation costs. In mid-July, Donaldson sought an additional $70,000 in the judgment for accrued interest on his security deposit. He got it, as the $110,000 security deposit was doubled under Connecticut law and supplemented with late fees and interest. 

The figure also included prejudgment interest, costs, and attorneys fees.

Donaldson played 11 years in the major leagues for the Athletics, Blue Jays, Guardians, Braves, Twins, Yankees, and Brewers, earning about $159 million. The incident happened during the first of two seasons with the Yankees in 2022, when Donaldson rented the mansion in Greenwich, Conn. for $55,000 per month. 

The family vacated the mansion in April 2022, a month into the six-month lease. Grous lost a counterclaim for breach-of-contract, alleging the family planned to break the lease because they didn’t like the house. Grous sought $275,000 of back rent in the claim and his attorney argued the mold was confined to a small area of the house and that Grous quickly tried to fix it. 

Attorneys for both Donaldson and Grous did not immediately respond to requests for comment. 

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

MLB Unveils 2026 Schedule As Big Changes Loom Soon After

Next year’s slate could be among the last in the current format.
Babe Ruth

Man With Babe Ruth’s Name Charged With MLB Identity Thefts

George Herman Ruth, 69, used hundreds of false names and Social Security numbers.

6 Burning Questions About Reimagined MLB Rights Deals

MLB’s rights are changing significantly, but questions still remain.

Netflix to Stream Entire 2026 World Baseball Classic in Japan

Netflix picks up Japanese rights to the upcoming international tournament.

Featured Today

‘You’re Going to Get Beat Up’: The Liberty’s All-Male Practice Squad

A select group suits up weekly to take on the defending champs.
August 24, 2025

The Honey Deuce Effect: How Tennis Perfected the Signature Cocktail

Sold every 1.5 seconds, they total more than $12 million in sales.
Dec 21, 2024; Austin, Texas, USA; Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning (16) warms up as the Texas Longhorns prepare to play the Clemson Tigers in the first round of the College Football Playoffs at Darrell K Royal Texas Memorial Stadium.
August 23, 2025

Schools Are Hesitant to Allow PE Into Their Athletic Departments

Regardless of budget, schools don’t believe the risk is worth the reward.
Oct 2, 2024; Rosemont, IL, USA; Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti speaks with the media during the 2024 Big Ten Women’s Basketball media day at Donald E. Stephens Convention Center.
August 22, 2025

‘Not Ready to Jump In’: Power 4 Commissioners Aren’t Sold on PE

Top leaders in college sports have yet to see a satisfactory proposal.
Miami Heat logo

Former Heat Security Guard Pleads Guilty to Stealing Team Memorabilia

Prosecutors say he stole game-worn jerseys and sold them online for millions.
Jan 13, 2025; Glendale, AZ, USA; Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores against the Los Angeles Rams during an NFC wild card game at State Farm Stadium.
August 14, 2025

Brian Flores Discrimination Suit Against NFL Can Go to Trial, Court Says

An appeals court ruled the NFL cannot compel Flores into arbitration.
Jun 11, 2025; Eugene, OR, USA;A NCAA logo flag at the NCAA Track and Field Championships at Hayward Field.
August 15, 2025

Transgender Runner Sues Swarthmore, NCAA Over Ban

The suit says state and federal law supercede the NCAA’s transgender policy.
Sponsored

Building A Pro League From Scratch

Front Office Sports and Gainbridge® spotlight what it takes to build a professional women’s soccer league.
Feb 14, 2025; Oakland, California, USA; Denver Nuggets mascot Rocky the Mountain Lion gestures in front of Terrell Owens (81) of Team Rice during the celebrity game ahead of the 2025 NBA All Star Game at Oakland Arena.
August 14, 2025

Former Nuggets Mascot Sues Team for Wrongful Termination

Drake Solomon says he returned from hip surgery to a “hostile work environment.”
Jan 11, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson (8) passes the ball against the Pittsburgh Steelers in an AFC wild card game at M&T Bank Stadium.
August 13, 2025

Lamar Jackson Drops No. 8 Fight Against Troy Aikman

He filed a complaint with the USPTO in July 2024 against Aikman.
Shohei Ohtani
August 12, 2025

Shohei Ohtani, Agent Accused of Tanking $240 Million Hawaii Real Estate Deal

Ohtani had agreed to promote a luxury housing project.
Jon Gruden
August 11, 2025

Jon Gruden Wins Fight With NFL Over Email Leak Arbitration

Gruden wants his fight against the NFL to play out in court.