Josh Donaldson was the 2019 MVP of the Atlanta Braves
There were several players deserving of the Atlanta Brave’s MVP award, but one player’s impact on the field and in the clubhouse made him the winner.
The Atlanta Braves were in the enviable position in 2019 of having as many as five players deserving of the club’s MVP award.
Ronald Acuna nearly had a 40-40 season. Ozzie Albies led the NL in hits. Freddie Freeman set career highs in home runs and RBIs. Mike Soroka made the All-Star team and will be a top five Cy Young candidate.
But the one guy that was more valuable throughout the course of the season was Josh Donaldson.
No, this is not some hot take. I firmly believe Donaldson’s impact in the on the field and behind the scenes was crucial for the Braves success this season.
From a statistical perspective, Donaldson, who was injured for most of the 2018 season, rebounded impressively, which has just also earned him a nomination for Comeback Player of the Year in the National League.
The MLBPA announced that players have selected Lucas Giolito, Jorge Soler and Hunter Pence as finalists in the American League and Josh Donaldson, Sonny Gray and Hyun-Jin Ryu in the National League in voting for Comeback Player honors in the 2019 Players Choice Awards.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) October 14, 2019
He hit 37 home runs, drove in 94 runs and walked 100 times, which was fourth in the NL. According to baseball reference, Donaldson’s WAR of 6.1 was tops on the Braves.
Freddie Freeman was a direct byproduct of Donaldson’s presence in the lineup as he had not had the type of protection that he got from Donaldson since Justin Upton in 2013 and 2014.
It was pretty obvious that Donaldson carried himself in a way that was different from the rest of the team and that was not a bad thing.
From the “back of the baseball card” comment early in the spring to the encounter with Joe Musgrove, Donaldson had confidence and swag that I believe was instrumental for this young squad.
Resigning Donaldson has to be the top priority for Alex Anthopoulos and company this winter. Losing Donaldson would hurt the team and organization in so many different ways.
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The impact of not having The Bringer of Rain at the hot corner next season would be damning for the team’s chances of finally breaking through in the playoffs.