Now that Anthony Rendon has signed with the Angels, Josh Donaldson is both the top third baseman remaining on the open market and quite possibly the top free agent still available at any position. There was already enough interest in Donaldson that he was reportedly looking more and more likely to receive a four-year commitment, which is good news for a player who “is seeking the largest possible guarantee” in his next contract, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal writes (subscription required).
The star third baseman just turned 34 this week and, since his injury-plagued 2018 season already cost him his first chance at a big multi-year free agent deal last winter, it isn’t surprising that Donaldson wants to max out his payday now that he is coming off an outstanding 2019 campaign. Rosenthal hears that “all things being equal, Donaldson’s preference is to return to the Braves,” though if it comes down to a pure bidding war, Atlanta doesn’t seem to have the available payroll to outspend Donaldson suitors like the Dodgers, Rangers, Twins, or Nationals.
The Braves have already spread some significant cash around this winter, adding free agents Cole Hamels, Will Smith, and Travis d’Arnaud while re-signing Chris Martin, Nick Markakis, Tyler Flowers, and Darren O’Day. As per Roster Resource’s Jason Martinez, Atlanta is set to spend just under $142.2MM on player salaries next season, which would be the largest payroll in franchise history. $142.2MM is a modest number compared to what most contending teams spend, though since there has long been speculation about how much money the Liberty Media ownership group would be willing to allocate to payroll, adding another major contract to the books (Donaldson’s next deal could well be in the area of $25MM in average annual value) might not be feasible, unless other salaries were cut loose.
If Atlanta misses out on Donaldson, they might need to get creative in adding another big bat to their lineup. Reports from earlier this week suggested that the Braves could look to Marcell Ozuna, though Rosenthal notes that “they currently have only limited interest” in Ozuna’s services. As for another big third base target in the Cubs’ Kris Bryant, Rosenthal notes that Atlanta is among the clubs who have concerns about Bryant’s declining glovework (as per UZR/150 and Defensive Runs Saved) over the last few seasons. This doesn’t necessarily rule out a potential trade between the Braves and Cubs since Bryant could be used as a corner outfielder, though it doesn’t seem like Bryant is at the top of the Braves’ list at this point.
Speaking of fallback options for Donaldson, Rosenthal writes that Starlin Castro and Maikel Franco are on the Nationals’ radar as third base candidates. Washington has gotten long looks at both players from their days in the NL East, though both Castro and Franco would certainly be stopgap options at best given their underwhelming performances over the last few seasons. Castro has been a slightly below-average run producer (98 OPS+ and wRC+) since the start of the 2016 campaign, while Franco hasn’t lived up his billing as one of baseball’s top prospects, hitting only .249/.302/.431 over 2539 career PA with the Phillies.
In terms of bigger-ticket additions at third base, Jesse Dougherty of the Washington Post (Twitter link) reports that the Nationals have yet to touch base with the Cubs about Bryant, contrary to earlier reports. This isn’t to say that the Nats couldn’t still look into Bryant should Donaldson sign with another team.
This article just confirms that no one really knows what liberty is doing. The payroll is already the highest in history, yet is extremely modest, especially for a contender. Historically speaking, it wouldn’t shock me if they didn’t spend one more penny this offseason after getting cold feet for pushing the budget a tad this year. This team is so close to taking that next step, but management has to commit. Stop acting like the money isn’t there…. there is more than enough plus some.
Liberty has nothing to do with it. Part of the agreement when they bought the team was that the Braves would remain a separate entity. I’m not sure why this is so hard to grasp. Braves spent a bunch of money already and people still complain.
No, that’s ridiculous. They still have to make business decisions that is in the best interests of the stakeholders. Liberty is at liberty if you will in the event things go south. Because they Braves are part of their portfolio, they will always have to answer to the big dawgs when it comes to major financial decisions. To think otherwise is completely foolish.
No. The Braves are a separate entity indeed. They can use every cent of the money they generate and dont have to ask LM. That said I’m sure they could ask for more, but LM cant take away what they have earned. Braves fan is frustrated because there have been so many articles laying this out but people still blame LM for all payroll issues. We should be able to understand this.
Again, remotely not true at all. The Braves still have to act in the best interest of the stakeholders which is liberty as well as the stockholders. They have a legal obligation to do so. THAT SAID, their info is very public and we understand that the Braves can (if they wanted) spend money to improve the team without it being a major issue. If you don’t think the big dawgs from liberty don’t have to approve anything the Braves do before a $100 million investment is made, you are 100% out of your freaking mind.
Terry mcgurk (butchered that) was put in place to take care of all the Braves operations LM can only use the Braves for tax purposes
The Braves have been spending money all off-season, and still you kids scream cheap, cheap, cheap and make up financial contractual agreements that you haven’t read.
Getting tiring to follow here.
Yes they are at an all time high opening day payroll now and are still planning on spending more it sounds like if they are still in on Donaldson or even trading for Bryant his salary won’t be cheap either
It seem far fetched to me that the Braves would trade a number of young players that are still developing and years away from peaking as well as take on Bryant’s salary to get one or two years of him.
Frankly, he’s been over publicized playing for one of the national sports media darling teams. Yes, he hits with power. But he’s a lousy defensive player at both 3B and the OF. Add that he’s a Scott Boras client, and there’s no way he stays with the Braves unless they shell out well over $300m.
The Braves are being ran correctly. Many owners take money from the franchise for their other endeavors
You can’t judge their current spending until you see next seasons results. Until then stop pretending you know what their ledger looks like or what they do or don’t answer for behind closed doors.
A $100m investment was *already* made on Smith, Hamels, D’Arnaud, Martin, O’Day, Flowers, and Markakis. And you’re telling us the CEO of Liberty Media reviewed and ok’ed each of those contracts? Genius.
People really lose it when they see their team spend a little bit. Your team isn’t one of top five big money teams and they will end up as one of the offseason’s top ten spenders. You can’t ask for more than that (in a non-delusional way, at least.)
They literally cannot put a dollar into or remove a dollar from the Braves budget or the SEC will sanction them. I’m a ten year plus Braves 81 game season ticket holder and I have shares of the franchise in my portfolio. It has nothing to do with liberty.
That is just a stupid statement. Liberty has everything to do with it., they own the team. Saying that someone that owns a team has no-say in that team is just not smart.
They ‘hold’ the team. McGuirk has total autonomy from Liberty.
The Braves are part of liberty’s portfolio and are a public entity that has a fiduciary responsibility to make business decisions in the best interest of its stakeholders. I promise you, liberty has a vested interest in the decision making process of the Braves because they have too. Any reporting or hear say otherwise is a lie or false reporting.
More important, y’all are freaking out like I said they aren’t spending. I literally said they are (but not at a level of a true contender). Which is exactly what the freaking article says!! What are y’all panicking about. Lol. I’m merely doubting that they will spend the additional money that it will take to take us to the next level. It’s very clear we have 2, maybe 3 glaring needs… although they having their highest payroll to date, I doubt they will spend the money required to fill those holes. Or at least, I’ll believe it when I see it. I’m not buying into this Braves management until the 100% prove to us fans that they are committed. Not by spending $300 mil on a superstar… but spending the money to fill this team out appropriately and push their budget some to do so
Can’t blame Nats for grabbing Strasburg but not Rendon. $490 mil would’ve been a massive total for 2 players in one offseason. No doubt Rendon will be missed but Nats have some other options and Kieboom had a .400+ OBP at AAA last year so Nats will call on next man up. Halos have a legit hitter to pair with Trout who is not past his prime (Pujols) or never lived up to the $ (Upton).
Too bad Kieboom flopped in all his attempts to help the big club last year. AAA stats mean nothing if you can’t handle yourself in the show. He’s still young but you shouldn’t ignore his failure at the MLB level. Is he the answer? Hmm.
“All his attempts” – as in 43 plate appearances over 11 games between April 26 and May 6. Not exactly a meaningful sample size.
Plenty of superstars didn’t show well their first time called up to the majors. No one should read too much into what he did or didn’t do those first 40+ ABs.
Ryne Sandberg started off something like 1-30 with the Cubs and he made the HOF. If Nats offered Kieboom up for trade there would be no shortage of GMs standing in line to acquire him.
Dustin Pedroia was 17 for 89 (.191) in his first ML season.
Colin Moran is probably available as a completely league average 3B.
Anthony Rizzo got .141/.282/.242/.583 over 153 PA’s his first trip up with the Padres…
Anything can happen.
The Nationals are committed to Kieboom long term. He’s a part of the future core along with Soto, Turner, and Robles.
The Nationals haven’t been contenders for 10 years by overpaying veterans and trading their young players to get them – then collapsing when they get old and the payroll is maxed out. They rotate players out and break young guys in.
Howie can no longer play 2B decently. He’s adequate at 3B and can play that the 3-4 times a week that he’s allotted to play at his age. There will be a number of players rotating between 1B, 2B, and 3B in 2020. Maybe Castro, maybe Asdrubal, etc. And for sure there will be some in-season trades…..rosters don’t freeze on opening day.
Some weak kid named Trout put up a .672 OPS in 135 PAs in 2011. I’m sure the folks in Anaheim are happy that they gave him more PAs the next season…
And a guy named Willie Mays struggled mightily in his first few weeks with the big club.
Braves need to pony up for Donaldson. They have all of the other pieces in place for a run at the WS.
It’s not gonna happen. They have 132.8 already on the books with a young core that is due arb raises each year. They are not one player away from a title. Lots of holes in both the starting staff and the bullpen they still need to address. There’s no way they can afford to spend 25-28mil a year for the next 4 years on Josh Donaldson. It’s just not gonna happen. I think most braves fans would rather see them extend Acuna Jr. or Albies.
They’ve already locked both Acuna Jr. and Albies into long-term deals. They just addressed the bullpen with in season trades, and Will Smith. There’s zero reason that they couldn’t sign Donaldson. It needs to get done. Dump Ender’s contract, if need be.
and if no one wants Ender?
I think the Cubs would take Ender in a Bryant trade to offset salary. The question is the prospects, probably pitching.. Could they get Anderson and Wright or Wilson? Or Wright and Wilson and another decent prospect?
I don’t think there’s a match to trade Bryant to the Nationals.
I think Wright, Wilson and a couple mid level prospects should be enough i don’t think Atlanta is trading Anderson unless it’s for someone under contract for more than a year or two but probably not at all
If Theo accepts that package he should be shot out of a cannon. Here is our mvp, probably your World Series, but just give me those fringe prospects and theN a couple lottery tickets. Absolutely 100 percent Bryant stays in Chicago if that’s the offer.
@Moneyballer
Apparently you don’t realize that both Acuna and Albies signed EXTREMELY team friendly contracts last spring. You must have been living under a rock at the time because everyone talked about how the Braves robbed them both because their are so team friendly!
As for the 2020 Braves they may very well just be 1 or 2 players away! Donaldson is the major one they need in the middle of the lineup. Their bullpen has been addressed with now having Smith, Melancon, that have closer experience plus Martin and everyone else.
They need Donaldson to resign and then Folty to pitch like the 2018 version and Fried to take another step forward!
If you have absolutely no clue what you are talking about why even comment? Acuna and Albies are both locked up on team friendly deals for years. Also on paper they now have one of the top bullpens in baseball. They are simply a starter and a bat away at most from a real shot at a title.
Except starting pitching
The starting staff isn’t elite, but it’s not a black hole. At this point a legit clean up hitter is more important though.
Starting pitching still short one seasoned arm.
3/5ths of the Braves rotation is bad. With or without the umbrella, the Braves are screwed.
You’re the worst
Worse than a rotation consisting of Fried, Faulty, and one of their overrated pitching prospects?
If you think Fried and Folty are bad, you’re clueless
Folty was one of the biggest busts of 2019. Fried could easily be a 1-hit wonder.
Did you just post this same nonsense and paste on every Braves article?
Folty played scared after he came back from injury and the further away from all that he gets the better he will be and the timing Of his injury couldn’t have been worse as he really blossomed the year before and looked like a true ACE
Guys! This is the same guy that thought Soroka was overrated halfway through the season!
He keeps changing name but posts same dribble over and over but has a declining pitcher that has posted consecutive era’s of 4.9 and over 5 away from oracle as his savior. However, he keeps trashing pitchers that are currently better than his boy.
Yea I dare you to find a post where I said that!
yeah just not true
Dude you can’t be as dumb as you sound. 3/5’s is bad? As in Soroka, Fried and Hamels? With several top 30 minor league pitchers on the horizon including Anderson and Wright? Yeah… Things are real bleak in Atl…
Your math is all wrong. Time for a lesson. Hamels, soroka and fried are not bad. Fried was better last season than your boy bum. Fried 2.9 war to 2.8 for bum. Fip 3.76 for fried to 3.90 for bum. Lay off fried or get a new pitcher in your moniker that actually is better right now than in his heyday.
I would like to see the Braves just go ahead & either sign Donaldson or just be honest with him & say Thank You but we just dont have it to spend. I think Donaldson would rather Atlanta be honest with him so he too can move forward. From the Braves perspective, they too can keep the excitement going for their fans by pivoting to addressing the Power Bat by getting Ozuna. If that isn’t sufficient then roll the dice with Asvail Garcia & working a deal out with the Giants on a trade for both Evan Longoria & Johnny Cueto.
Agreed, but we really don’t know that has not been done already. It’s not like his agent would leak out that the Braves are no longer interested as it would hurt his bidding war. It’s also not like the Braves would let it be know, because if they are out, then they would certainly not want other teams to know there is one less bidder (they want that price to go way up to help prevent teams from spending on other targets).
All that being said, I think the Braves really are still in on Donaldson. If it doesn’t work out there are targets they can trade for or roll with a Riley/Camargo platoon if needed. With Ender coming back and the continued growth curves for their younger players, they can lose a little at 3B production wise. Or at least that’s the way it would seem on paper .. but we know how that works out.
You aren’t playing for a World Series with a Camargo/Riley platoon at 3rd, you’re playing for a quick exit from the playoffs. Without that protection behind Freeman his numbers go down a little as well.
I don’t know why Braves fans are so high on this Camargo/Riley thing, you aren’t the first one I’ve seen say something like that. If they don’t land Donaldson or some other impact 3B, all of that spending they did this off-season was for naught.
They can still add a power bat in the outfield why does every non brave fan no see this?
They are kind of high for a bunch of cheap pitchers. Riley I think will be a big part of a trade with the Cubs or Astros. Add in a little pitching and Bryant is theres, with Correa costing two or three. They should trade for Carpenter off the Cardinals. Cards would send money with him and him and Riley at 3rd isn’t too bad. They could show more faith in Carpenter and try for Scherzer. Nats need a little depth prospect wise and Scherzer’s value hasn’t been lower in a while. Riley and a lower rates pitching prospect gets him and cash. Rays will end up doing a deal for Price in three team deal involving Angels/Cle.
You act like the Braves have just given up on Austin Riley. I think not! He got hurt last year, the only reason his production dropped off. Exciting young player, definitely the future at the position. There’s no way they block his development long term by plugging in Donaldson on a long-term pact. Riley will be fine at third and they can use those resources elsewhere.
riley’s what 21-22 yrs old?
Riley’s K rate was absolutely obscene at the ML level. He struck out heavily in the minors, too. He hasn’t established himself as the “future” at 3B yet, and AA has basically said as much. I’m sorry, but there is no way you pass on Donaldson because you might block Riley. You just don’t. Riley needs more AAA time. If he does turn the corner, you can either shift him to the OF or trade him as part of a package for a SP.
Scherzers value hasn’t been lower in awhile…ffs, not sure what’s worse, this statement or that Bryant could be got by a prospect with garbage trade value and “a little pitching” This isn’t MLB The Show buddy.
Scherzer is on anyone’s top 5 list for starters and you think 1 real prospect and a throw in gets him AND his contract paid down? People must love talking baseball with you.
Sounds like stuff you’d hear on Atlanta sports talk radio.
I’m very surprised that Duffys name hasn’t come up more as far as a third base option
I must be missing something. You are talking about the Tampa Rays player Matt Duffy? His numbers don’t look so great to me…
Wonder if Yankees are a match for Nationals in a trade. Miguel Andujar is a young cost controlled thirdbaseman who can flat out hit. Defense is suspect, but middle of the order bat. Yankees would like look for a centerfielder who could cover in Hicks absence, but not sure I see a match. Don’t think Michael Taylor is enough.
I know how much the Cardinals FO want Carpenter to retire a Cardinal, but they should consider making him available even if it means eating a bit of his contract so it’s opens a spot for Edman and the younger guys.
Some team is gonna get a diamond in the rough if they sign Maikel Franco. He’s still just 28 and has proven he can hit for power and play a solid 3B. In Philly, all they ever talked about with this guy is what he didn’t do well. Classic “change of scenery” guy waiting to blossom.
Phillies are addicted to launch angle. That one-size-fits-all mentality is flawed. Didn’t work for Franco and probably played a big part in the dreadful second half Rhys Hoskins had last year.
Mark my words, some team is gonna sign Franco and the guy is gonna hit .260+ with 25-30 HR. Sometimes all a guy needs is a new team. See Eugenio Suarez and Jorge Solar as prime examples of players who were cast off by their previous teams, given a chance to be themselves and succeeded.
The Braves would do well to sign Franco IMHO.
I wouldn’t mind Franco To Atlanta if Donaldson and Bryant prove to costly (money,years,prospects) wise or y’all to the Yankees about andujar I think wash could get him close to league average defensively if no of that works out get Souza or marte or ozuna and bat camargo/Riley at the bottom of the order
Talk not y’all sorry about that
plus he’s a proven Met killer
Braves and Yankees line up perfect for a trade IMO . Happ and Andujar to Atlanta . Not sure what the return to Yanks would be but they seemed to want to dump Happs salary and like Ursula better than Andujar . I like this match better than a KB trade
Yeah I have no clue on what it would take going back to NY but Andujar can hit and it gives you options along with riley and camargo
I say give camargo the 3B job as he more than deserves it after his 2018 season. use the money to sign pitching and maybe an OF bat
What about his 2019 season? I’m sorry, but I really hope they don’t do that. He didn’t really have a track record of hitting in the minors, had that decent 2018, and then flopped. If he’s a FT starter at 3B, it’s a weakness.
I think he could be good at 3B but he would have to be put there and stay and also he is not a cleanup type hitter at this point so that would still leave a giant hole behind freddie
You can’t just give 3 rd. base to Camargo because he had a good 2018 season. Camargo had a bad 2019 season. It looked to me like Camargo was kinda pouting, that he was mad Donaldson took his job. He looked like he wasn’t really trying at times. Nevermore obvious than when he was playing for Dansby at SS for weeks, he didn’t try to get to balls.
Do not give in to FA overpay. Many lower cost options. Sign Hechavarria, Franco, and Perraza free agents. All three will cost only half of Donaldson. This fixes third base and bench. Get the big bat in An outfielder. Marte, Ozuna, Pederson and others available.
Need to sign Culberson back. One bench player that has been the best for the Braves the last 2 years. Who can play 1st., 2nd., ss, 3rd. and the outfield and was the Braves emergency catcher.
Just hope this isn’t a wasted 3rd season in a row of winning the division and having your true needs magnified in the first round of the playoffs once again.
Bullpen has been addressed but you still never truly know what you’re going to get until they get in a groove during the season.
Lineup is taking a major step back without bringing back donaldson, or bringing in an equal star via trade to take his spot. (if a bopper signed to play LF, this isn’t quite the case then.)
Still need a bonafide shut down SP as good as soroka or better to be a true threat in a playoff series.
Once the latter two are completed, a wildcard bat in the form of Castellanos or Ozuna would truly make this team a favorite to be in the WS imho.
The time is now, the pieces are “almost” all there yet again, hopefully they can make it happen and not be the 3rd bridesmaid down the line again.
Would rather have Castellanos, who has a higher batting avg., than Ozuna. If the Braves don’t do anything else, they will be fine. That is if the young guys get better as expected and step up. I think Riley can hit 30+ Hrs. in a full year, either at 3rd. or the OF or at both. Going to be an interesting spring with the pitching competition for the 5th. starting spot and relief spots. I think Wilson could be a good closer. I think Newk wins his starting roll back.
30 hrs don’t mean a whole lot if you’re just another Braves’ version of uggla in the lineup. He’s gotta be able to sustain rallies, move runners over, and not end innings with K’s. Focus on hitting up the middle and to RF and everything else will fall in place.
I firmly believe donaldson will be back in ATL, this team would lose a lot of its edge without him.
Batting average? Seriously? Castellanos is a bad fielder and batting averages tend to bounce up and down from year to year.
The Braves could sign Donaldson and Bumgarner and be contenders, but that is not consistent with how they operate. I think that a more realistic Braves dream scenario would be acquiring Corey Kluber and Yandy Diaz, or maybe Marte. I could see Ryu or Puig/Ozuna(possibly Bumgarner) and bounce back candidate Travis Shaw in the mix as quality options for now as well. Would prefer an arm and a bat.
Joc Pederson, Avisail Garcia, and Akiyama(Japanese CF) are possible as well… I could justify Rich Hill also. Atlanta’s in a good spot.
If wishing came true and JD lands in Dodger Blue …. give me Justin Turner!
I’d rather the Braves trade their prospects rather than spend money on an expensive umbrella.
Proposed on MLB today, Riley and Wilson for Bryant, if I’m the Braves I go for it