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Rumor: Would Josh Donaldson be a good fit for the Yankees?

While the Yankees’ early surge to the season has been a popular topic of conversation across baseball, another team that’s also sparked some chatter is the Toronto Blue Jays, who suprisingly sit in the basement of the American League East standings with a record of 19-26.

Toronto’s adversity can be attributed to a number of factors. The team has been riddled with injuries–hitting and pitching-wise–and the absence of slugger Edwin Encarnacion, who joined the Indians on a free agent deal this past winter, has left a gaping hole in the Blue Jays’ lineup. Entering Monday, Toronto trails eight games back of first place, and if the slump lingers on into the summer months, the idea of a trade deadline fire-sale isn’t vacuous.

So, who would be a potential trade target? Perhaps the Blue Jays’ star third baseman Josh Donaldson, according to Sportsnet Canada’s Jonah Keri:

Think of all the contending teams with holes at third base. The Cardinals could move sudden world-beater Jedd Gyorko to second and slide Donaldson into the middle of the lineup. The Astros could move an erratic-fielding rookie Alex Bregman to DH, shunt Carlos Beltran to part-time duty, and supercharge an already loaded lineup. And if the Jays want to flout tradition, they could open the floor for two of the teams in most desperate need of a star third baseman: the Yankees and Red Sox.

The Case For

Donaldson, 31, has been one of the American League’s most feared hitters in recent memory, as he’s hit .289 with 133 home runs and 417 RBI in the past five seasons. Along with a career WAR of 32.9, Donaldson has appeared in three All-Star games, and in 2015, he won the league’s MVP award. While his offensive production is exceptional, his defense at the hot corner is also adequate, as he owns a career fielding percentage of .956, which is ranked 13th among active third basemen.

Donaldson remains arbitration eligible thru 2018, and the earliest he can become a free agent is in 2019. His current contract with Toronto has two years remaining with $28.65 million owed, while Yankees’ third baseman Chase Headley is owed just $2.65 million less in the same time span. Headley, who recently turned 33, has been a liability on defense this season (nine errors in 36 games), and is hitting .241 after a shockingly hot April. Headley also owns a career OPS of .743, while Donaldson’s sits at .870–an upgrade to say the least. If the Yankees can sustain success, the front office will have a huge decision: Buy to become legitimate World Series contenders or stand pat and allow the youngsters to develop. 

The Case Against

Perhaps it’s worth mentioning now that Donaldson has only played nine games in 2017, due to a right calf strain he orginally suffered back in February. He’s expected to come off the disabled list in early June, which of course is good news for the Blue Jays’ mediocre lineup.

Although Donaldson doesn’t have a long history of injuries, his calf strain has lingered for months, which is a future concern. To be fair, the Yankees aren’t in desperate need of a third baseman, despite fans’ criticism toward Headley. By the time Headley’s off the books, baseball’s historic free agent class will be at the Yankees’ disposal. On the list will likely be Orioles’ star third baseman Manny Machado, a dynamic player who will also be six years younger than Donaldson. New York plans to be under the luxury tax threshold by the winter of 2018, with the intention of spending money on the market’s big ticket items.

Now, there’s no certainty that the Yankees are as high on Machado as they are on Nationals’ outfielder Bryce Harper, but the sense around baseball is that the Yankees will pursue at least one of the two. But, that’s still two years away. For now, Headley is the starting third baseman, but if he continues to struggle, there is a possibility that top prospect Gleyber Torres reaches the majors by season’s end. On Sunday, the 20-year-old Torres was promoted from Double-A Trenton to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre after just 32 games. While Torres is tagged as a shortstop talent, some scouts believe he’ll land at either second or third base when his name is finally called. If that’s so, the Yankees’ future infield could be set after all, and the need of a slugger like Donaldson or Machado disappears.

To wrap up a long list of reasons, it’s also unlikely that the Blue Jays would trade within their division, and considering the Yankees’ firm stance on exchanging top prospects, a summer trade between the clubs would require a whole lot of negotiating.Â