Former MVP Josh Donaldson Signs Contract With Braves

One of the biggest Major League Baseball free agents is no longer on the market. Third baseman Josh Donaldson has officially agreed to terms on a one-year contract with the Atlanta Braves. The deal will pay him $23 million. This is a considerable amount of money for a guy who spent most of the 2018 season on the disabled list. He was injured multiple times. On the rare occasions he was healthy, he did not put up the numbers he has in the past. This is definitely a calculated risk for the Braves. They have aspirations of defending their National League East title again next year. They believe that Donaldson can revert to his previous form and be a key hitter in the middle of their lineup.

Donaldson has been one of the best players in baseball when he has been healthy. He rose to fame with the Oakland A’s in 2013 when he came out of nowhere to finish fourth in the most valuable player voting. He then finished eighth in the MVP voting the following year. He also made his first All-Star team. It was at that point that A’s general manager Billy Beane decided to trade Donaldson while his trade value was very high. He was dealt to the Toronto Blue Jays. This is where he has had the greatest success of his career so far.

In 2015, Donaldson was voted the American League most valuable player by hitting .297 with 41 home runs and leading the league with 123 runs batted in. He also led the majors with 122 runs scored. It was a brilliant season that put Donaldson in the discussion as one of the best players in baseball. He also helped the Blue Jays make the playoffs for the first time in 21 years. He followed that up with another huge year in 2016. He once again made the All-Star team and finished fourth in the MVP voting. He also won his second consecutive Silver Slugger award for being the best hitting third baseman in the American League.

Unfortunately, injuries have taken their toll on Donaldson’s offensive production over the past 2 seasons. He only played in 52 games in 2018. Needless to say, the Braves are expecting him to play 100 more games than that in 2019. His offense is not the only question mark. It is not known how much his range has been impacted by his injuries.