Josh Donaldson Rumors: Braves, Nationals, Twins Offer 4-Year Contracts

The Atlanta Braves, Washington Nationals and Minnesota Twins have reportedly emerged as the primary suitors for free-agent third baseman Josh Donaldson.

According to MLB Network, all three teams have offered Donaldson a contract in the neighborhood of $100 million over four years:

It was also reported that the Los Angeles Dodgers are still in the mix, and while the Texas Rangers have said they are not, "some people" believe they could still be a contender for Donaldson's services.

With Anthony Rendon joining the Los Angeles Angels, Donaldson is by far the top offensive player left on the market. As a member of the Braves last season, Donaldson returned to form by slashing .259/.379/.521 with 37 home runs and 94 RBI.

After injuries limited him to a .246 batting average, eight homers and 23 RBI in 52 games with the Toronto Blue Jays and Cleveland Indians in 2018, Donaldson signed a one-year prove-it deal with the Braves and rebuilt his value in a major way.

Perhaps the bounce back shouldn't have come as a big surprise since Donaldson was an All-Star in three straight seasons from 2014-16 with the Oakland Athletics and then Blue Jays. In 2015, he was named the American League MVP by virtue of his .297 average 41 home runs and 123 RBI.

Donaldson was one the best power hitters in baseball after posting four straight years with 29 or more homers from 2014-17, and he also played high-quality defense at third base.

Of the teams rumored to be in on Donaldson, the Braves and Nationals stand out as the teams that would benefit most from signing him.

Donaldson helped lead Atlanta to the National League East title last season, forming a strong offensive nucleus with outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr., first baseman Freddie Freeman and second baseman Ozzie Albies.

Without Donaldson, the Braves have little to speak of at third base, as unproven entities Johan Camargo and Austin Riley would likely split time at the hot corner.

The Nationals are also in desperate need of an answer at third base after losing Rendon to the Angels in free agency. Washington is the reigning World Series champion, but its lineup may look far different in 2020 since Rendon is gone, while Asdrubal Cabrera, Ryan Zimmerman, Brian Dozier and Matt Adams are all free agents.

Assuming Howie Kendrick primarily plays first base, the Nats' top options at third currently are the unheralded Jake Noll and 2016 first-round pick Carter Kieboom, who hit just .128 in 39 at-bats last season.

The Twins are a somewhat surprising suitor since they set the single-season MLB record with 307 home runs last season and seemingly need pitching more than hitting.

Donaldson would add another big bat to an already strong lineup that includes the likes of Eddie Rosario, Nelson Cruz, Max Kepler, Miguel Sano and Jorge Polanco.

If the Twins do land Donaldson, look for Sano to shift from third to first with Marwin Gonzalez playing the super utility role that has made him so valuable over the years.