Josh Donaldson has been mentioned by some as a potential trade candidate this season, but it doesn’t sound like Toronto is looking to deal him over the offseason.
The Blue Jays have endured a rough season and are last in the AL East following three straight winning seasons. The losing season led some to figure Toronto might want to rebuild. If that were the case, Donaldson would be their greatest trade chip.
But Fan Rag Sports’ Jon Heyman says the Jays are highly unlikely to trade Donaldson because they believe they can contend next year.
Toronto was hit hard by injuries to players like Donaldson, Troy Tulowitzki, Aaron Sanchez and J.A. Happ. The thinking is that with better health, they can contend again in 2018. Their attitude makes sense, which explains why they’re not in a hurry to trade an MVP candidate.
Donaldson is under team control for one more season before becoming eligible for free agency. If Toronto still doesn’t contend next season, they could look to trade Donaldson before the deadline.
