Braves Reportedly Interested in Mike Moustakas as Fallback Option for Josh Donaldson
By Mark Powell
Should Josh Donaldson agree to sign elsewhere in MLB Free Agency, and Atlanta Braves have a backup plan.
Atlanta is reportedly courting third baseman Mike Moustakas, who would likely come at a cheaper price than Donaldson, if the former MVP signs with another contender rather than remaining with the 2019 NL East champions.
Braves are looking at Mike Moustakas. Good fall-back candidate in case Josh Donaldson doesn’t work out.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) November 13, 2019
Donaldson had a tremendous bounce-back campaign for the Braves after an injury-riddled season in Toronto in 2017. The power threat re-emerged as a perennial All-Star candidate, and in the right lineup remains a top of the order hitter and potential contributor for a World Series-contending team.
In fact, several franchises view him as an upgrade at the position over their current option.
The Nationals are the latest team showing interest in Josh Donaldson. The latest on that and more from the GM Meetings: https://t.co/a7eua4Gpfw
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) November 12, 2019
The likes of the Nationals, Mets, Phillies and the Brewers (Moustakas' former team), all have initial interest in Donaldson. The Texas Rangers have reportedly made a major push as well.
Moustakas' home run numbers match the likes of Donaldson, as Moose hit 35 on the season to go with his .254 batting average. He's not much of a downgrade, which makes gauging his early interest a smart move by Atlanta.