Could Nolan Arenado be a fit for the Atlanta Braves?
With each passing day, it seems more likely that Josh Donaldson will not be with the Atlanta Braves next year. Could there be a new third base option the team could pursue?
If and when Josh Donaldson signs with another team, the Atlanta Braves will need to fill third base and/or a power bat.
A new name surfaced in trade possibilities Wednesday afternoon.
Rockies are willing to listen to trade inquiries on superstar 3B Nolan Arenado (and anyone else); they’ve gotten many calls on him since trade deadline. Would shake up monster 3B market (Rendon, Donaldson, Bryant) but no one sees as likely yet. Has full no-trade so up to him.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 11, 2019
Adding Arenado to a lineup of Ronald Acuna Jr., Ozzie Albies and Freddie Freeman would be incredible.
Arenado hit .315 with 41 homers and 117 RBI last season for the Rockies. The concern with trading with Colorado is the splits its players usually have.
But Arenado’s splits last season were not egregious. At home, he had a line of .351/.412/.645 with 21 home runs and 70 RBI. Away from Coors Field, he had a line of .277/.346/.521 with 20 homers and 48 runs batted in.
Numbers aside, the biggest obstacle in trading for Arenado—whether it’s the Braves or anybody else—is his contract.
Arenado is owed $204 million dollars over the next six seasons, with an opt-out possible after the 2021 season. That means somebody is going to pay him $35 million next season. He also has a full no-trade clause. All of that conspires together to keep him anchored in Denver.
The Braves current payroll is sitting at approximately $130 million, so there really is no way they could afford to pay Arenado his salary next year. They would have to ask Colorado to chip in money – perhaps significant money – in order for a trade to work.
The Rockies always need pitching and the Braves have plenty, both MLB-ready and as prospects. So on paper there is a match.
The less money the Rockies chip in, the less prospect capital the Braves have to give up. But if this were going to work at all, the Braves will have to ask for money.
The Athletic’s David O’Brien flat out scoffed at the Braves being involved with Arenado today on Twitter.
I'll say this: If you've followed #Braves a while, does taking on a player with 2nd-highest avg. annual salary among all position players sound like their MO to you? A guy owed $234M inc. $35M each of next 5 seasons, more than double the peak sal Acuña will have in next decade? https://t.co/novVj3pZHY
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) December 11, 2019
Next. Here's something a bit cheaper. dark
Ultimately, the money is just too rich for the Braves and I don’t see the Rockies forking up money along with Arenado. While it would be great to acquire a player like Arenado, I don’t see it happening.