The End of 2015: Where the Atlanta Braves Stand
Sep 18, 2015; Denver, CO, USA; San Diego Padres center fielder Melvin Upton Jr. (2) celebrates scoring in the eighth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports
Payroll Clearance Still in Progress
I am estimating the 2016 Opening Day Major League Payroll for the Braves to be approximately $81.167 million. Cots contracts had pegged this number at $112 million in 2014 and $97 million in 2015.
Furthermore, future obligations have been substantially reduced. In 2017 – the same year that Freddie Freeman‘s contract extension jumps him up to a team record $20.5 million, the total contracted monies required will be $48.1 million.
Regardless of whether Atlanta can find a way to move the contracts of Nick Swisher or Michael Bourn, both of their deals will be completed after the 2016 season… taking $29,000,000 away (though $10 million of that is paid by Cleveland this season).
Additionally, Erick Aybar‘s $8.5 million deal will end after 2016, though it remains to be seen whether the Braves would choose to use him as a bridge to Dansby Swanson. Regardless, Anaheim is paying $2.5 million of the freight for him this next season.
Remaining future obligations come in the form of these few players:
- Julio Teheran ($3.3 million in 2016; $29.6 million total through a 2020 buyout)
- Nick Markakis ($10.5 million in 2016; $31.5 million through 2018)
- Hector Olivera ($4 million in 2016; $32.5 million through 2020)
- Tyler Flowers ($2 million in 2016; $5.3 million through 2017, though with reachable incentives)
- Dian Toscano ($1 million in 2016; $4 million through a 2019 buyout)
The team has rid itself of Chris Johnson‘s ill-advised deal (while taking back Swisher and Bourn, though for a limited time), Cameron Maybin‘s final contract year, Andrelton Simmons‘ extension (yeah, that one hurts), Melvin Upton’s contract, Craig Kimbrel‘s extension, and Mike Minor‘s 3rd/4th arbitration years.
Atlanta is now facing just two arbitration contract players: Arodys Viscaino and Chris Withrow. Neither should be a difficult case to resolve, and both should come in to a combined $2 million or less.
All of this together sets up the payroll for the kind of flexibility never seen before … which will undoubtedly be exercised in a couple of unique ways: 1 coming in mid-2016; the other possibly for the 2017 season. More on that in a bit.
Next: 2016: International Year of the Brave