MLB Predictions: Josh Donaldson To Sign With Rangers, Dallas Keuchel To Land With Angels And Nationals To Trade For Kris Bryant

Josh Donaldson and Dallas Keuchel are still unsigned while Kris Bryant is still being heavily linked with a trade away from the Chicago Cubs. Where will these three star players be come the start of the 2020 MLB regular season?

Donaldson is now the best free agent available this offseason regardless of position after all of Anthony Rendon, Stephen Strasburg and Gerrit Cole all earned massive contracts. He is also due some serious money.

After hitting 33 doubles and 37 home runs last season, Donaldson can easily expect north of $20 million per season, somewhat limiting his market. However, with Rendon committed to the Angels, teams with a need at the hot corner have few other options.

While Donaldson has said he enjoyed his time in Atlanta, they generally try to keep their payroll low. With other signings already complete such as Will Smith, Travis d’Arnaud and Cole Hamels, the Braves may not be able to out-spend the third baseman’s other suitors.

Meanwhile, the Washington Nationals are also interested after seeing Rendon depart. They likely have the resources to make a play for Donaldson but they did just pay over the odds to retain Strasburg. That leaves the Texas Rangers as the likeliest destination for Donaldson.

Texas already made waves by trading for Corey Kluber while only parting with Delino DeShields and Emmanuel Clase. Plus, the Rangers have about $50 million in cap space available and are known to want to compete in 2020.

Therefore, Josh Donaldson will sign for the Texas Rangers.

The Angels did get their man in Anthony Rendon but they are still in serious need of pitching help. With star man Mike Trout entering the final years of his prime, the Halos must be in win-now mode as their window to compete slowly closes.

Meanwhile, Keuchel is the best available free agent starter after Cole, Strasburg and Zach Wheeler all found new homes. There is 32-year-old Hyun-Jin Ryu also on the market, but Keuchel is a year younger plus has more velocity left in his arm.

While the likes of the San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers, Cincinnati Reds and Minnesota Twins also hold interest in Keuchel, no one will be more desperate than the Angels. Therefore, the Halos will land Keuchel.

Moving away from the now-dwindling free agent market, Bryant has received a lot of attention this offseason. With Rendon now off the market, Donaldson and Bryant are the two names which teams with needs at the hot corner will discuss.

According to Jon Heyman of the MLB Network, the Washington Nationals have already asked the Cubs about Bryant in the wake of seeing Rendon sign in Los Angeles. The Nats are also interested in Donaldson, but he will probably go to the highest bidder.

The Cubs would be fine with Bryant moving to the nation’s capital but would demand the budding Victor Robles in return. Robles is viewed as a potential star at the big-league level so the Nats do not wish to part ways with the young man hailing from the Dominican Republic.

However, the Rangers simply don’t have a prospect of the same caliber as Robles to send to Chicago in exchange for Bryant. That means Texas will be more motivated to offer big money to Donaldson in an effort to blow the competition out of the water.

The impact of that would be Washington having to deal Robles to the Cubs as there are simply no other options with the same production potential. Therefore, Bryant will land with the Washington Nationals.