Braves add McCann, Donaldson
ATLANTA Brian McCann slipped on the No. 16 jersey he wore for so many years.
“It feels right,” he said, over and over again.
Looking to improve on their first division title in five years, the Atlanta Braves agreed to one-year contracts with McCann and former AL MVP Josh Donaldson — a pair of low-risk moves that give the team a chance to make another post-season run while not hindering the long-term development of all those talented young players.
Donaldson agreed to a $23 million deal, the Braves confirmed Monday night. The salary matches what the third baseman made during a forgettable 2018 season.
McCann’s $2 million contract reunites the team with a catcher who was a seven-time All-Star from 2005-13. A native of suburban Atlanta, he was eager for a chance to return home with his wife and two children.
“This is as special a day for me as any I’ve had in my career,” McCann said during a hastily called news conference at SunTrust Park. “To put this uniform back on, with the love I have for this organization, the love I have for everybody from top to bottom, people I’ve known since I was 18 years old, that’s why I’m here.”
While McCann’s signing is sure to be popular with the fan base, the acquisition of Donaldson figures to be far more significant to the team’s fortunes in 2019.
The Braves are counting on a return to form from the three-time All-Star, who turns 32 next month. It was only three years ago that he captured the MVP award in his first season with Toronto, hitting 41 homers and leading the AL with 123 RBIs. While he followed up with two more 30-plus-homer seasons, a hip injury in 2016 and a strained right calf in 2017 cut into his production.
This past season, Donaldson was limited to 52 games by shoulder inflammation and calf issues, hitting .246 with eight homers and 23 RBIs. He was dealt to Cleveland by the Blue Jays on Aug. 31.
The short-term deal with the Braves gives Donaldson a chance to show he’s healthy and back to form, potentially setting up a huge payday in the next free-agent market.
For Atlanta, it provides another much-needed slugger in the middle of the order to go with Freddie Freeman, especially since it’s not known if the team will make a serious run at bringing back freeagent outfielder Nick Markakis.