5 offseason moves the Braves should make
1. Keep Josh Donaldson at all costs
Coming off two injury-plagued seasons and entering his age-33 season, All-Star third baseman Josh Donaldson was willing to bet on himself and take a one-year deal to prove he could still perform at a high level. The Alabama native went home to the Deep South and gave the Braves quite a year at the hot corner. Donaldson posted numbers on par with his best seasons in Toronto.
Ronald Acuna grabbed more headlines with his flashy play and mammoth home runs, but it was actually Donaldson who led the Braves in WAR. The 2015 AL MVP and three-time All-Star hit .259/.379/.521 with 33 doubles, 37 home runs and 94 RBI. After a modest start in the first half, Donaldson rebounded to hit .270/.402/.556 with 19 home runs and 49 RBI in 68 games after the break.
The Braves should feel confident in their ability to make a good deal with a veteran hitter in his mid-30s thanks to how well their four-year deal with right fielder Nick Markakis played out. Donaldson could still warrant over $20 million per season. Atlanta can get creative with option years and incentives to make sure Donaldson isn’t going anywhere.
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Donaldson seemed very much at home in his first season with the Braves, and his fiery brand of leadership was needed on the young team. Freddie Freeman leads more by example, but Donaldson wears his heart on his sleeve. He is the type of role model that Acuna should lean on as he matures. The Braves will have the inside track to re-signing Donaldson, and they need to make sure a deal gets done. He has shaken off the injuries and is still a premium hitter and defender at third base.