Rosenthal: The Reds are interested in Zack Wheeler; the Braves’ big bullpen bet; more notes

As first reported by Jorge Castillo of the Los Angeles Times, free-agent third baseman Josh Donaldson is a legitimate consideration for the Dodgers.

Donaldson, who turns 34 on Dec. 8, would provide right-handed balance for a team heavy in left-handed hitters (Cody Bellinger, Corey Seager, Max Muncy, Joc Pederson, Alex Verdugo, Gavin Lux). He also would bring an edge to a team that might benefit from such a jolt.

As the Braves discovered, Donaldson can be a bit of an acquired taste — as one club source put it, “he’s loud, in your face, an alpha who will test the room.” He went through an adjustment period in Atlanta, and Freddie Freeman talked with him at one point about better fitting into the clubhouse, the source said. But Donaldson eventually found his niche, and the Braves came to relish his daily intensity and competitiveness.

The team wants him back.

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