Replacing Swanson
I grabbed a list of qualified shortstops since 2018 with 1000 PA. Here’s a list of the shortstops on the list who project as available next offseason with better numbers than Swanson.
- Trea Turner– will demand considerably more than Swanson
- Carlos Correa – if he exercises his opt-out, he would require a contract around the $30m mark.
- Xander Bogaerts – If he exercises his opt-out, he’ll want at least the $20M a year he’s giving up
Below Swanson is:
- Jonathan Villar (32),
- Jean Segura (33),
- Jose Iglesias (33), and
- Andrelton Simmons (33),
None of them offer the consistency Swanson has provided.
Trades?
I looked for viable trade candidates but didn’t find any that I felt looked like a realistic fit. Nicky Lopez (KCR) jumps off the screen, but the Royals moved him to second base and are reverting to Mondesi at SS.
KC also has Bobby Witt, but the latest interviews suggest Witt will play third unless Mondesi falls on his face. Never mind how highly the Royals value Witt.
The Guardians (of the Jake) might trade Ahmed Rosario. If so, he’s the closest thing to a replacement I see.
Atlanta would offer . . .?
Looking for a comp to Swanson isn’t easy; few middle-tier deals are current enough to consider. In a discussion before the podcast last week, Alan suggested Ryan McMahon as the best fit.
McMahon is a year younger, and while the Rockies will slot him in at third base (maybe) he’s essentially a utility infielder whose power look Coors Field related. Still, I don’t think the deal is too far off.
Swanson’s market outside of Atlanta looks like five years, $70-75M, but he’ll have to take less to stay with the Atlanta Braves.
I’d suggest five years and $60m with an option year tacked on. The structure could look like this $10.5M, $11.5M. $12.5M,12.5M, $13M, but the AAV is $12M.
That’s a wrap
The Atlanta Braves know that replacing Swanson requires more than replacing production. Swanson’s a leader on and off the field, his baseball is among the best, and he’s a winner.
When Freeman’s camp wasn’t willing to talk about a solution to keep him in Atlanta, the Braves pivoted to a player with most of the same attributes. There’s no player out there who fits that description to replace Swanson.
Maybe a player emerges from the dust of this season, but I don’t see him.