The Cardinals plan to make a strong push to acquire Donaldson at the conclusion of the 2017 season, Bob Nightengale of USA Today Sports reports.
Donaldson, who is in the final year of arbitration eligibility, is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2018. If the Cardinals were to acquire the 31-year-old veteran, its lineup would immediately receive an offensive boost, but Donaldson's output isn't guaranteed the same results. Since making the Rogers Centre his home in 2015, the MVP third baseman owns a .301 batting average with a .996 OPS and 165 wRC+ through 214 games at his home field in Toronto. During that same stretch, Donaldson's numbers take a noticeable dip when on the road, hitting just .271 with a .901 OPS and 144 wRC+ over 210 games. Dynasty owners should monitor this situation closely, as a move out of the hitter-friendly Rogers Centre would likely decrease Donaldson's preseason value next year.