Fansided

Which MLB teams are still in on Josh Donaldson and can any of them top the Nationals?

By Joshua Sadlock

WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 13: Josh Donaldson #20 of the Atlanta Braves follows the play against the Washington Nationals during the ninth inning at Nationals Park on September 13, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - SEPTEMBER 13: Josh Donaldson #20 of the Atlanta Braves follows the play against the Washington Nationals during the ninth inning at Nationals Park on September 13, 2019 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next
LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 09: Justin Turner #10 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws to first during Game 5 of the NLDS between the Washington Nationals and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, October 9, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 09: Justin Turner #10 of the Los Angeles Dodgers throws to first during Game 5 of the NLDS between the Washington Nationals and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, October 9, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /

3. Los Angeles Dodgers

The Dodgers missed out on Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg and Anthony Rendon, leaving their fans extremely frustrated. After losing in the NLDS and armed with surplus cash to spend, the Dodgers were expected to be major players in free agency, but came up short on all three of their top targets. Time is running out to make a major move, but the Dodgers still have their eye on Donaldson.

As they’ve shown a hesitancy to commit big money to free agents past their 30th birthday, the Dodgers should not be viewed as the likeliest landing spot for Josh Donaldson, but their interest remains strong. Rendon arguably would have been a more impactful signing for the Dodgers than either of the aces, as he would have allowed them to shift Justin Turner across the diamond to first base and save his knees.

While the Dodgers haven’t gone out of house to sign older free agents, the type of deal Donaldson is seeking does actually fit well with their preferred approach of targeting safer four-to-five-year deals. A four-year deal for Donaldson would run through his age-37 season, but his age-34 through age-37 seasons will be significantly cheaper than the final four years of Rendon’s deal with the Los Angeles Angels.

When it comes to their pursuit of Donaldson, the Dodgers are in a tricky spot. He is not the best option to upgrade their lineup. That would be Francisco Lindor, Mookie Betts or Kris Bryant, who are all available on the trade block to varying degrees. The Dodgers have the prospects and young, MLB-ready players to pull off a blockbuster for any one of these stars. The only problem is, it’s still not clear if Lindor, Betts or Bryant will actually be traded this winter.

Home/MLB