The Atlanta Braves have had some fantastic third basemen in the franchise's history. From all-time greats like Eddie Mathews, Chipper Jones, Terry Pendleton, and Bob Horner to current MVP candidate Austin Riley, there's been plenty of talent cycle through the "hot corner" in Atlanta.
And one of those talents is hanging them up for good.
Josh Donaldson, who was a member of the Braves for the 2019 season, announced his retirement today on The Hot Corner with Sean Casey.
Donaldson was one of Alex Anthopolos's first major free-agent imports, signing a one-year deal worth $23M for the 2019 season. And it's a gamble that worked out for Atlanta, as Donaldson hit .259/.379/.521 with 37 homers and 94 RBIs as the Braves won the NL East and battled the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Divisional Series.
But the team's inability to reach terms on a multi-year deal with "The Bringer of Rain", combined with the emergence of Austin Riley as an option at third base, prompted Atlanta to go elsewhere for offense after the season, eventually signing Marcell Ozuna to a one-year deal to serve as a designated hitter and occasional left fielder.
Donaldson, meanwhile, would go on to sign a multi-year deal with the Minnesota Twins, one that would see him traded to the New York Yankees partway through. He was released before the end of last season and played the last few weeks with the Milwaukee Brewers.
But Donaldson, who retires at 38, has had quite an accomplished career in MLB. Drafted in 2007's 1st round out of nearby Auburn University, Donaldson was the 2015 American League MVP, winning the award in his first season with the Toronto Blue Jays after batting .291/.371/.568 and leading the league in runs scored (122), RBIs (123), and total bases (352). He's a three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger who had four top-ten MVP finishes and has received down-ballot votes two additional times outside of those years.
Congrats on your MLB career, Josh, and best wishes!
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