Josh Donaldson Rumors: Oakland A’s Won’t Trade Third Baseman
By Hayden Kane
Josh Donaldson is due to make a significant raise in arbitration for the Oakland Athletics, but the team has no intention of trading the third baseman to a different MLB team.
Once a player reaches arbitration eligibility and is due to make more money, people assume that the Oakland A’s will part ways with them. The ‘Moneyball’ word rings in people’s minds as they assume as the thrifty A’s will avoid big financial commitments.
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So, as stud third baseman Josh Donaldson reaches arbitration this off-season, people were ready with the trade rumors. Donaldson will certainly be due to make more than the $500,000 he received in 2014, and with teams league-wide seeking power from the right side of the plate, the third baseman could be a big trade target.
A trade isn’t going to happen, however. Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reports the following about Oakland’s thinking with Donaldson:
"First things first: The Oakland Athletics do not plan to trade third baseman Josh Donaldson, according to major-league sources.As always, the Athletics are realistic about their ability to compete long term. They also know that the AL West is only getting stronger."
Donaldson is under team control through the 2019 season, so the A’s haven’t seen the last of these trade rumors with Donaldson. They will have to just navigate them one off-season at a time. For now, they say that he isn’t going anywhere.
Donaldson batted .255/.342/.456 with 29 home runs and 98 RBI in 158 games for the A’s this past season.
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