Josh Donaldson lashes back at Lucas Giolito, Ozzie Guillen

Lucas Giolito took issue with Josh Donaldson’s antics as he crossed home plate after hitting a home run against him Tuesday night.

On Wednesday, Donaldson fired back against the White Sox right-hander. He even had some spicy words for Sox pre- and postgame analyst Ozzie Guillen. He kept on swinging shortly after the game began, belting another homer in the first inning against right-hander Dylan Cease.

“He calls me classless,” Donaldson, who was just getting started, said of Giolito. “I didn’t think I was showing him up during the game. I was talking to my bench.”

Donaldson appeared to yell, “It’s not sticky anymore,” while rubbing his hands together as he crossed the plate Tuesday, an obvious dig at Giolito in the wake of Major League Baseball’s crackdown on pitchers’ use of sticky substances. Donaldson has been outspoken about pitchers using them for some time, and Wednesday he suggested Giolito was among them.

“He’s a [bleeping] pest,” Giolito said after the Sox’ 7-6 win Tuesday, in which he pitched six-plus innings of three-run ball to earn the win. “That’s kind of a classless move. If you’re going to talk s---, talk s--- to my face. Don’t go across home plate and do all that. Just come to me.”

Donaldson got off the Twins’ bus after the game and confronted Giolito in the parking lot. He said Giolito “didn’t have much to say.”

“He said he thought it was annoying,” Donaldson said. “I said, ‘So what? I’m on the opposing team. What do you care about me? I’m in your face, I’m telling you what I think. What do you have to say about that?’ ”

Giolito was unavailable Wednesday, but the White Sox response was to pummel Twins pitching for six homers in a 13-3 win. After Donaldson’s homer, he struck out twice against Dylan Cease.

“Yeah. We heard about what happened,” Cease said. “We talked about it.”

Did it provide some fuel?

“I think so. I mean, we came out ready to play.

“That was a beatdown.”

During the NBC Sports Chicago postgame show Tuesday and the pregame show Wednesday, Guillen said Donaldson would get hit by a pitch if he were managing.

Donaldson mentioned Guillen’s career numbers and Guillen’s comments about Fidel Castro in 2012.

“And I got Ozzie Guillen talking s--- on the air saying that, ‘I’d let one go, hit him in the ribs,’ ’’ Donaldson said. “Ozzie Guillen, you were a career .700 OPS hitter, man. You were a three-time All-Star, and you had an under .700 OPS. My worst season in the big leagues is 150 points higher than that. This is also coming from the man that said he loves Fidel Castro. That’s who we’re taking advice from? What are we doing around here?

“Hey, I’m trying to make the game fair. I didn’t make the rules.”

Guillen said the Twins made a big mistake signing Donaldson as a free agent.

Eaton getting closer

Right fielder Adam Eaton (hamstring) has been doing more work on the field in recent days and seems to be nearing a return.

“I’m not sure of the timeline, but I do know every day that he’s improving, better and better,” manager Tony La Russa said.

Burger, Cespedes in Futures Game

Triple-A Charlotte infielder Jake Burger and High-A Winston-Salem outfielder Yoelqui Cespedes were named to the American League team for the All-Star Futures Game on July 11 in Denver. According to MLB Pipeline, Burger is the 11th-ranked prospect in the Sox’ organization, and Cespedes is the second.