MLB News: Toronto Blue Jays, Josh Donaldson Not Agreeing to an Extension Yet, but Deal Could Still Happen
Donaldson wants to table talks for now to focus more on the upcoming season
Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson is one of many star players currently in line to become a free agent at the end of the 2018 season. However, it appears that the 32-year-old's situation is a little different.
While it appears at this point that other high profile free agents-to-be like Manny Machado and Bryce Harper are almost certainly going to enter the market in the winter, the same is not exactly the case for Donaldson.
The Athletic's John Lott has been on top of the Donaldson extension talks lately, and some interesting revelations have been provided by both the player and the team.
First off, as seen in a recent social media post from Lott, Donaldson confirmed that he and the Blue Jays have discussed a potential extension but they are not exactly completely aligned with one another currently.
Donaldson did say that he believes he will become a free agent, but he notably did not rule out the possibility that extension talks could start back up again at some point.
One of the reasons for why it is unlikely that the two sides will come to an agreement at this point is because Donaldson understandably wants to turn his attention to the 2018 season.
As for the Blue Jays, another tweet from Lott indicated that general manager Ross Atkins was "optimistic" about getting a deal done due to both sides understanding each other from a value standpoint.
Given these latest developments, it is possible that Donaldson will indeed be up as a free agent by the end of the 2018 season. But then again, there is still a chance that both sides could agree to a deal sometime over the next few months, especially if the Blue Jays get off to a great start.
The 2018-19 free agent market is going to be flooded with talented players, but there is a possibility that Donaldson may not be among those looking for a contract next offseason.
