The worst news of the offseason broke for Braves Country earlier this week, when Josh Donaldson signed a four-year deal with the Minnesota Twins that includes a fifth-year option, despite Atlanta being considered the favorites throughout the offseason. Immediately, the question was why?
Then the figures were released, and Donaldson is only scheduled to make $92 million guaranteed over four years, which is the same annual amount Atlanta paid him last season. All Braves fans can agree he was worth every penny of that contract, so the question again was why? Especially since the consensus among MLB insiders was that the Braves had a four-year deal on the table for Donaldson. Well, it’s become evident that was never the case.
In an interview by Alison Mastrangelo of WSB-TV, Donaldson says what the Braves offered him “wasn’t in the same realm financially.”
VIDEO: I had a chance to talk with former Braves third baseman @BringerOfRain20 about his path that led him to signing with the @Twins . pic.twitter.com/IWSvQov9Ao
— Alison Mastrangelo (@AlisonWSB) January 17, 2020
Mastrangelo then followed it up nicely by prodding for an answer regarding what the Braves might have offered. Of course, Donaldson didn’t disclose any figures, but when asked if the offer was competitive, he started by saying, “No.” Then proceeds to say Atlanta did offer him a contract, “late, like a day or so before (signing with the Twins). You know it just didn’t work out. Unfortunately, because I really enjoyed my time there.”
Donaldson ended the interview by saying, “I thought it was a great fit for me,” when asked by Mastrangelo if he would have stayed in Atlanta had the offer been more competitive.
More from my interview with @BringerOfRain20 .
I asked Donaldson if the #Braves made him an offer.“They ended up offering me late like a day or so before… but it just didn’t work out… and unfortunately because I really enjoyed my time there.”#ChopOn #mlb pic.twitter.com/oBNZJKGrzN
— Alison Mastrangelo (@AlisonWSB) January 17, 2020
Seeing this might infuriate a good bit of Braves Country, but remember, it was initially thought Donaldson would receive somewhere around three years and $75 million in free agency because of his age and injury history. He ended up fetching possibly two more years and $27 million more than that. For a guy who is turning 34 this season and has had one healthy year in his last three, that is a substantial risk.
I’m a bit surprised the Braves were not a bit more competitive in their offer, but there was always a feeling they were going to be hesitant handing Donaldson four years. The only way this should be viewed as a grave mistake is if Anthopoulos does not find someone to fill his void in the lineup before spring training.
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