Should Phillies pursue Josh Donaldson this offseason?
Braves third baseman Josh Donaldson is due for a massive payday this offseason. Should the Phillies be the team giving him one?
The Phillies filled several holes in their lineup last offseason, bringing four new everyday starters. One need they didn’t address was third base, instead hoping Maikel Franco would be sufficient thanks to the other improvements made. As you know if you have watched the Phillies at all this year, that has not been the case.
Thankfully, there should be some options to upgrade the position this offseason. Anthony Rendon may be the best player available in free agency, while Nolan Arenado could hit the trading block this offseason. Josh Donaldson is another option that will be out there: should Philadelphia consider signing him?
Donaldson was a free agent last season, but his stock was much lower after injury-riddled 2017 and 2018 seasons. He played just 52 games last year, and his numbers were well below the previous three years. To say his stock was low is an understatement.
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The Braves decided to take a chance on Donaldson this year, giving him a one-year, $23 million contract to prove if he could still perform as he did when he was an MVP candidate. Just their luck, Donaldson is doing just that.
In 145 games, Donaldson has a .263/.386/.539 line, 132 OPS+, 37 home runs, and 88 runs batted in. His 5.8 wins above replacement are sixth among National League position players.
This is also Donaldson’s highest WAR total since 2016 when he finished fourth in MVP voting. Also, he ranks in the top ten in the NL in on-base percentage, home runs and walks.
After this strong season, Donaldson will be in line for a significant payday in free agency. While Rendon may be the best free-agent third baseman available, Donaldson will easily be the second-best. If Rendon agrees to a contract extension with the Nationals, Donaldson will become the best in the class.
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While signing Donaldson would be a massive upgrade over Franco, there are still some issues with signing him. The most notable would be that top prospect Alec Bohm should be major-league ready next season after winning the Paul Owens award this year as the best hitting prospect in the minor-league system. Signing Donaldson would prevent Bohm from coming to the majors barring a position change, which would have further ramifications.
Concerns about Donaldson’s age and injury history will also exist. While he has been healthy this season, he is still just a year removed from that 52-game season. Considering he will turn 34 after this season, any long-term deal could have an ugly end.
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If Philadelphia does decide to go after a third baseman this offseason, Rendon would probably be their best bet. However, if they can’t land him and don’t want to wait for Bohm, Donaldson would be more than suitable to fill the hole left by Franco.