Donaldson agrees to $23-million one-year deal with Braves

Josh Donaldson needed the Braves.

The Braves needed Josh Donaldson.

Call this one a perfect match. The slugging third baseman was officially introduced to Atlanta on Tuesday, joining the team he cheered for as a youngster. Donaldson agreed to a $23 million, one-year deal that provides the sort of flexibility both sides wanted.

“We were looking for a middle-of-the-order bat,” general manager Alex Anthopoulos said after a news conference at SunTrust Park, less than 24 hours after the team announced the signing of catcher Brian McCann . “We had to find a way to get it done.”

Donaldson was looking for a team that would pay him big bucks, while giving him a chance to show he’s healthy after three injury-plagued seasons.

He’ll make the same salary he received this past season, while setting himself up for a much more lucrative deal if he returns to MVP form.

Plus, he gets to play with his favourite team from childhood. Donaldson is a native of Pensacola, Florida who played his college baseball at Auburn – about a twohour drive from SunTrust Park.

“I was a huge Braves fan coming up,” he said.

“My very first favourite player was Ron Gant. It’s a very full circle from coming to my very first Braves game, my first major league baseball game, when I was about 12 years old to now being 32 years old (next week), being able to wear this jersey and wear it with pride.”