The Atlanta Braves now have lineup stability like we haven’t seen for a while.
There’s an under-the-radar rumor going around now that the Braves are on the cusp of announcing a contract extension for Freddie Freeman.
While this is probably the kind of rumor that literally everyone expects to come true at some point, the signing of Ozuna for 4 years (with a 5th year option) would seem to confirm it will happen… if you were willing to lose Freeman after 2021, then why invest in Ozuna at this kind of level?
First off, here’s a new quote from Braves GM Anthopolous:
Anthopoulos said the Braves could add to bullpen and possibly add an outfielder in case Acuña moves to CF. But he also said this could be the group they go to spring training with, and add some minor-league type signings. (I'd expect them to add a reliever.)
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) February 6, 2021
I’ll say right now that I expect Pache to be in Center with Acuna in right field. That could change, but we’ll wait this out together. In the meantime, let’s go with my expectations for now.
The Atlanta Braves … with fewer moving parts
So given that expectation, let’s look around the diamond:
- Freeman: presumed to be a Brave for life
- Albies: contract-locked for 5 more years, plus 2 team options thereafter
- Swanson: still in the arbitration process; team control for 2 more seasons; no extension yet
- Riley: under team control vs. arbitration process for 5 more years*
- Ozuna: contract-locked for 4 more years, plus 1 team option thereafter
- Pache: under team control vs. arbitration process for 6 more years*
- Acuna: contract-locked for 6 more years, plus 2 team options thereafter
- d’Arnaud: contract control for 2021 only
* — assumes that a new Collective Bargaining Agreement after 2021 doesn’t modify this
So for all of the starting positions except catcher, Atlanta has 2+ years of certainty if they wish to keep this alignment.
Going further, only shortstop and catcher positions have uncertainty when you project forward over the next four seasons.
This will make the next several Winters have a lot less drama to them… and in truth, it will help the club overcome a weakening farm system while also giving them a few years to rebuild it.
All of that sounds great… but is this the place to stop improving?
Nope: the Braves are indeed making the investment… so now it’s time to go after the Dodgers while ensuring that the Mets stay behind them.