Josh Donaldson
Josh Donaldson was expected to be moved before the July deadline this year until injuries took their toll. He missed time earlier this year with a shoulder injury and has not played since May 28 due to a calf issue. Donaldson has resumed baseball activities but has not started an official rehab assignment. Assuming he gets healthy and returns at some point in August, the Blue Jays will certainly try to deal him.
When Donaldson has played this year, he hasn’t been his normal self. He has a .234/.333/.423 line with a 105 wRC+. While his season is still considered above-average, it pales in comparison to his numbers the last three years.
A healthy Donaldson is a force to be reckoned with. In 426 games between 2015 and 2017, Donaldson had 111 home runs, 300 runs batted in, and a .946 OPS (151 OPS+). Only Mike Trout was worth more wins above replacement during this time according to Fangraphs. He won the MVP award in 2015, finished fourth in voting in 2016, and finished 22nd in 2017 despite only playing 113 games.
Adding a healthy Donaldson to this team for September would be game-changing in a division expected to be close down the stretch. As long as he is, in fact, healthy, the Phillies would suddenly have a very potent lineup. Even if they don’t pick him up then, adding him during the offseason via free agency is still a possibility.