Shapiro: 'Almost a certainty' Donaldson won't be dealt in offseason

When the 2018 MLB season gets underway, Toronto Blue Jays fans can expect to see Josh Donaldson still manning the hot corner.

Blue Jays president Mark Shapiro said Donaldson is part of the team's future and it's "almost a certainty" the 31-year-old won't be traded during the offseason.

"It’s hard for me to imagine a scenario where Josh Donaldson isn’t part of a championship team here,” Shapiro said Wednesday on Sportsnet 590 The Fan. “But I think (general manager) Ross (Atkins) and the baseball staff will walk through all of those scenarios.

"It’s almost a certainty that he’ll be back here next year."

Donaldson, the 2015 American League MVP, has been on an absolute tear during August and September following an injury plagued beginning to the season, hitting 19 home runs over the past two months.

Donaldson is arbitration eligible in 2018 and can hit free agency in 2019. He made $17 million this season, his third in Toronto since coming over in a trade from the Oakland Athletics.

During his Blue Jays tenure, the slugger owns a .285/.388/.558 slash line with 108 home runs and 293 RBIs.