The ball is rolling now. News broke Monday that the Atlanta Braves had signed Josh Donaldson, the power-hitting infielder who figured to be among this year's grand prizes right alongside Bryce Harper and Manny Machado until serious injuries to his right shoulder and left calf significantly cut into his playing time the last two seasons.
For $23 million, the Braves bought themselves one season to see if the soon-to-be 33-year-old Donaldson can recapture the form that made him one of the game's most feared right-handed hitters with the Toronto Blue Jays in 2015 and 2016. The Braves also paid $2 million to reunite with Brian McCann, who will be 35 next season and nothing more than a backup catcher.