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3 reasons the Braves should not re-sign Josh Donaldson

By Jake Mastroianni

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 03: Josh Donaldson #20 of the Atlanta Braves reacts after advancing to third base on a double by teammate Nick Markakis (not pictured) against the St. Louis Cardinals during the sixth inning in game one of the National League Division Series at SunTrust Park on October 03, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - OCTOBER 03: Josh Donaldson #20 of the Atlanta Braves reacts after advancing to third base on a double by teammate Nick Markakis (not pictured) against the St. Louis Cardinals during the sixth inning in game one of the National League Division Series at SunTrust Park on October 03, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
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KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – SEPTEMBER 25: Josh  Donaldson #20 of the Atlanta Braves slides safely into second for a double as Whit Merrifield #15 of the Kansas City Royals is late applying the tag during the 6th inning of the game at Kauffman Stadium on September 25, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – SEPTEMBER 25: Josh  Donaldson #20 of the Atlanta Braves slides safely into second for a double as Whit Merrifield #15 of the Kansas City Royals is late applying the tag during the 6th inning of the game at Kauffman Stadium on September 25, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) /

It’s just not smart

We now live in a baseball world where players don’t suddenly get better in their mid-to-late thirties like we saw during the steroid era.

That’s why every offseason we continually see veteran players not get big contracts.

And for that very reason, the Braves should be very cautious about signing a guy who will play next season at 34.

Don’t forget why the Braves were able to sign Donaldson to a one-year deal last offseason.

He was coming off back-to-back seasons where he was constantly injured, playing in a total of 165 games those two seasons.

To be fair, before the 2017 season he had played in at least 155 games for four straight seasons and he hit that total again in 2019.

But the likelihood of him doing that over the next three years (the length of contract he’s going to want) are not great.

It’s just not smart to give a guy at his age a long-term contract for that kind of money.

History tells us those types of deals don’t normally work out in the end.

Now, if Donaldson decides he really wants to play for the Braves and is willing to take a two-year deal or a two-year deal with a team option for a third year, then maybe that makes some sense.

But somebody out there is going to give him three years, and I hope it’s not the Braves.

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