Chicago Cubs: Trading Kris Bryant isn’t as simple as it might seem

Chicago Cubs: Donaldson is looking to cash in this winter

After an injury-shortened 2018 campaign, Josh Donaldson bet on himself last offseason, signing a one-year deal with the Atlanta Braves in hopes of re-establishing his value. That gamble paid off, as the 34-year-old turned in a monster year, turning in a .900 OPS while smacking 37 home runs and 33 doubles for the NL East champion Braves.

With Anthony Rendon off the board in short order, multiple teams have turned their focus to Donaldson. According to Mark Feinsand, the Braves, Washington Nationals and Minnesota Twins have all made the former American League MVP four-year offers in the $100 million range.

If you’re the Cubs, you’re hoping the Twins come away with Donaldson. Both Atlanta and Washington, among other clubs, have been mentioned as potential trade partners for Bryant, so you obviously want them both to have that need at third base. With Donaldson off the board, someone like Bryant becomes a much higher priority for said clubs.

I’d suspect the Donaldson sweepstakes wraps up in fairly short order. The real question for the Cubs, though, even if he picks his next club in the next week or two isn’t about their former first-rounder (that’s right, Chicago drafted Donaldson in the first round in 2007) – but about Bryant and his ongoing grievance.