2019 MLB Free Agents: Rumors, Predictions on Josh Donaldson, Anthony Rendon

David J. Phillip/Associated Press

Anthony Rendon and Josh Donaldson are arguably the two most productive position players on the MLB free agent market, and with plenty of teams looking to fill a need at third base, the bidding wars are likely to come fast and furious.

Rendon was a finalist for the National League MVP Award with the World Series champion Washington Nationals after slashing .319/.412/.598 during the regular season and leading the bigs with 126 RBIs.

Meanwhile, Donaldson significantly upped his value after signing a one-year deal with the Atlanta Braves last winter. The 2015 American League MVP played in just 52 games in 2018, but he bounced back with 37 home runs and a stellar .900 OPS with Atlanta.

The market is already red-hot for both of these stars, but teams are also keeping an eye on veteran Mike Moustakas, who hit 35 homers and played multiple positions for the Milwaukee Brewers this past season.

Even if a number of teams strike out on Rendon or Donaldson, they could still face competition to sign Moustakas to a multi-year deal. In other words, decisions need to be made. Here is the latest on the market for each of these men manning the hot corner and a breakdown of where they might end up.

Anthony Rendon

Rendon is the most coveted position player on the market. Although public perception might otherwise indicate that 2019 was the year that Rendon finally became a star, he is fourth in the majors in fWAR–behind Mike Trout, Mookie Betts and Christian Yelich–since 2017, according to FanGraphs.

The 30-year-old has power to all fields and is one of the best in high-leverage situations. He is also no slouch with the glove, posting two Defensive Runs Saved (DRS) and a 2.0 Ultimate Zone Rating (UZR) last season.

Although a number of teams are expected to be in on Rendon, Jon Heyman of MLB Network reports that the Los Angeles Dodgers are showing interest in Rendon given that current third baseman Justin Turner has stated he would be open to a position change.

The Dodgers are an intriguing fit for Rendon, partly because they have a crowded infield, but also because they have been working to get under the luxury tax threshold for years. Signing Rendon would certainly put Los Angeles back over the threshold, a hurdle that Dodgers president Andrew Friedman most likely would like to avoid.

Rendon, a Houston, TX native, could also go elect to sign closer to home and pay for the Texas Rangers. The Rangers are in the market for multiple big-name free agents in anticipation of the opening of their new stadium, and they have the payroll flexibility to take on a pair of big contracts.

However, the guess here is that Rendon will return to his current team. The Nationals are sure to get a revenue boost after their World Series win, and the two sides previously discussed an extension during Spring Training. Sure, Rendon's market has grown considerably since then, but the Nationals could spend top dollar to keep Rendon in town.

Prediction: Rendon re-signs with the Nationals for five years, $185 million

Josh Donaldson

Donaldson bet on himself after signing with the Braves for one year and $23 million last November, and now a number of teams are interested in his services.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reports that Nationals, Phillies, Braves, Rangers and Dodgers have all shown interest in Donaldson, and that he was arguably the talk of the GM meetings.

Donaldson–who turns 34 in December–may not get more than three years at quite the same annual value, but that is also the same reason that so many teams are salivating over him.

Gabriel Burns of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that the Braves and Donaldson have mutual interest in Donaldson's return to Atlanta, but the Braves may have priced themselves out given their recent signing of Will Smith as well as the need to upgrade the starting rotation.

The Rangers, on the other hand, would undoubtedly throw money at Donaldson if they fail to land Rendon, which would also still give them money in reserve to make a run at the likes of Gerrit Cole, Stephen Strasburg or a number of second-tier starting pitchers.

Texas needs another run-producer in the lineup alongside Joey Gallo and Danny Santana, and Donaldson would also be the perfect veteran presence in that clubhouse.

Prediction: Donaldson signs with the Rangers for three years, $65 million

Mike Moustakas

Moustakas has been to this rodeo before, having gone through a pair of frustrating free agency periods in each of the last two winters. However–in part because of his own play and also because of demand–he should be able to sign a multi-year deal.

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The 31-year-old has hit at least 28 home runs in each of the last three seasons, and in 2019 Moustakas recorded the highest OPS (.845) of his career. He was also a markedly better infielder at multiple positions, which should do that much more to increase his value.

Jim Salisbury of NBC Sports Philadelphia reported that the Phillies touched base with Moustakas' agent, Scott Boras, and that the Phils are very interested in the three-time All-Star.

The Phillies have been disappointed with the performance of Maikel Franco, who had a solid showing in 2018 but responded by hitting just .234 in 2019. Heyman noted that Franco could be a trade candidate, and that Moustakas could be an interesting replacement. If the Phillies sign Moustakas, they could keep Scott Kingery in the outfield.

However, the Braves–who will still need third base help if they cannot sign Donaldson–could be the most logical fit. Moustakas will not be quite as expensive as Donaldson, and Atlanta would likely prefer to add another impactful left-handed bat to the lineup while giving Austin Riley some grooming time.

Prediction: Moustakas signs for four years, $40 million

Stats courtesy of Baseball-Reference unless otherwise noted.

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