Josh Donaldson and the Atlanta Braves reach a deal that works well for both

ATLANTA – Josh Donaldson needed the Braves.

The Braves needed Josh Donaldson.

Call this one a perfect match.

The third baseman was officially introduced in Atlanta on Tuesday, joining the team he had encouraged in his youth. Donaldson has agreed to sign a one-year contract worth $ 23 million, offering the type of flexibility that both parties want.

"We were looking for an average bat," said general manager Alex Anthopoulos at the conclusion of a press conference at SunTrust Park, less than 24 hours after the announcement. the appointment of receiver Brian McCann. "We had to find a way to do it."

Donaldson was looking for a team that would bring him a lot, while giving him a chance to show that he was healthy after three seasons marked by injuries. He will earn the same salary he received last season, while preparing for a much more lucrative contract if he returns to the MVP form.

In addition, he has been playing with his favorite team since his childhood. Donaldson hails from Pensacola, Florida and played at University Baseball in Auburn, about two hours from SunTrust Park.

"I was a big fan of the Braves coming," he said. "My first favorite player was Ron Gant, a very complete circle since my very first Braves game, my first major league baseball game, when I was between 12 and 32 years old (next week) , able to wear this shirt and wear it with pride.

By only committing to Donaldson for a year, the NL East winners Braves have responded to their top priority while leaving plenty of financial flexibility beyond 2019. They are among the most talented young players in the world. game, led by the NL rookie of the year. Ronald Acuna Jr., and did not want to make a move that hampers their long-term progress.

"I think it's a win-win situation in all areas," said Anthopoulos. "We love Josh, we are delighted to have it.But it is a one year contract.After one year, we do not know what will happen, if it is not that we hope to pour champagne on each other's heads and that he had a year of MVP again. That would be a good problem to have. "

Donaldson was AL's all-time player in 2015 after scoring 41 home runs and leading the league with 123 RBIs in his first year with the Blue Jays. It was acquired from Oakland under a large contract signed Anthopoulos, then managing director of Toronto.

While Donaldson followed with two more seasons of more than 30 homers, a hip injury in 2016 and a tense calf in 2017 marked his production. Last season, Donaldson was limited to 52 games due to inflammation of the shoulder and more calf problems. He hit .246 with just eight home runs and 23 RBIs. He was traded to Cleveland on August 31 and played 16 games with the Indians, enough to persuade the Braves that he was completely cured of many health problems.

"The size of the sample was small, but it looked fantastic," said Anthopoulos. "It looked like Josh that we have always known, one of the best players in the game."

After taking the reins of the CEO of the Braves, Anthopoulos brought in a lot of the training staff who worked for him in Toronto. This was another factor in Donaldson's decision to sign with the Braves.

"They know how to keep me on the ground," he said.

Donaldson does not look beyond 2019, but he does not consider himself a profitable player.

"I'm not one to want to bounce back," he said. "I hope it will be the last place I play, but that's not what I'm focusing on, I've never really focused on free will or that kind of thing. I focused on going out and helping my team win games and help my team become better. "

What about Johan Camargo, who had 19 homers and 76 RBIs in his first full season as a Braves third baseman?

Anthopoulos wants to turn Camargo into a super under who plays the four field positions, serves as the best batter and maybe even a little bit of time in the outside field. The bench was a major gap for Braves in 2018, which was particularly evident in the post-season heats when Ryan Flaherty, a lightweight hitter, was on the 25-man roster.

"We are going to give more days off to the guys," said Anthopoulos, who described Camargo as "a big part of our lineup and he will continue to play."

Anthopoulos worried mainly about strengthening an offensive ranked in ninth place of the Netherlands with 175 homers and a net decrease in the second half.

The Braves averaged just over 5 points per game in the first half, but dropped to 4.35 over the last 81 games. The offensive woes were particularly apparent in the NL division series, when Atlanta was ruled out twice and scored just eight points in a four-game loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers.

"This is not something we wanted to announce because we can still improve in the paddock and in the rotation," said Anthopoulos. "But the offense, more than anything else, we wanted to protect."