Blue Jays new additions have no bearing on Josh Donaldson’s future

The Toronto Blue Jays most recent addition of super utility player Yangervis Solarte has no bearing on the future of slugger Josh Donaldson.

There has been much social media chatter that the Blue Jays acquisition of Yangervis Solarte is the precursor to Josh Donaldson being shipped out of Toronto for presumably a package of prospects before the offseason concludes. This is not the case whatsoever and J.D. will be a Blue Jays come opening day.

This theory cannot be further from the truth as the Jays acquired Solarte and Aledmys Diaz to replace Ryan Goins and Darwin Barney. The new tandem provides manager John Gibbons with much more flexibility defensively while both Solarte and Diaz possess some clout with the lumber superior to that or Goins or Barney.

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Donaldson will man the hot corner once again as the brain trust is showing no indication of a rebuild especially seeing they have shipped prospects Edward Olivares and J.B. Woodman packing in their last two transactions. Both prospects have decent upside especially Olivares who has shown 20/20 potential and immediately slotted in as the Padres 24th ranked prospect in their Top 30 organizational rankings.

The former MVP has been pursued all offseason long by the St. Louis Cardinals, however, the Jays have repeatedly snuffed out all their attempts while sticking to the theme that Donaldson is not available for trade. Donaldson is the straw that stirs the Jays offensive drink and his omission from their prospective lineup would be demoralizing to their offense and their chances in 2018.

There have been no extension talks with Donaldson to this point that have been made public and perhaps the Jays are gauging the windfall this crop of free agents secure before seriously engaging Donaldson’s camp with an extension. You would have to think Donaldson will garner somewhere in the 5 yr./$145 million range on the open market.

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Undoubtedly the first half of the season will paint the picture on what direction the Jays take with Donaldson rounding into the trade deadline but for now, he is here to stay and Solarte does not change that plan in anyway whatsoever.