Atlanta Braves need backup plans to create clarity and certainty at third
By Fred Owens
The cost of adding Seager
In the Rosenthal piece linked above, he suggests that Seager might be willing to renegotiate that clause to get out of Seattle and have a chance to win a ring because the Mariners aren’t going to win before his contract ends.
He also suggests the Mariners would add a good prospect to move the contract or add money to offset some of the cost. Those are both guesses by Rosenthal and could be impacted by the fact that he says ‘multiple teams’ are interested in Seager.
The Giants just swallowed the Zack Cozart contract ($12.7M this year) to acquire the Angels number one pick in the 2019 draft Will Wilson who slots in as the Giants #10 on MLBPipeline today. The Giants sent an undrafted, Rule 5 eligible pitcher to the Angels.
Seager’s contract is bigger and longer than Cozart’s, so the Mariners would have to send a better prospect than Wilson. It might require a pitcher like Logan Gilbert to take all of the Seager contract. Getting a prospect that talented easily offsets the extra contract cost and allows the Atlanta Braves to trade for a big outfield bat using a lesser pitcher as part of the deal.
If the Braves are willing to give Donaldson $20M plus, they have room for Seager’s contract. On the podcast that should go up today, we discuss this in-depth or at least kick it around hard. My fellow podcasters wanted Mitch Haniger in the deal, which changes the whole dynamic. It’s worth a listen.
I’m a fan of a Seager deal if they the Atlanta Braves see Donaldson sign elsewhere. If that happens, the Braves make no other moves for third and decide to let Austin Riley and Johan Camargo fight it out in spring training, they’ll want a backup plan. Herewith, two options for such a plan.