6 players on the Braves' roster whose salaries add up to Shohei Ohtani's deal

Putting some context into just how crazy Shohei Ohtani's contract is with a Braves spin.

Oct 11, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13)
Oct 11, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) | Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
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Austin Riley - 10 years, $212 million

The Braves are unique in the game of baseball has they have been particularly adept at signing their young players to lengthy and team-friendly contract extensions. The most expensive deal that they have inked during this period of time was the extension given to Austin Riley back in 2022. This is a deal that includes a club option for 2033, so the previous caveats do apply here as well. It is the biggest deal in franchise history and it is still less than a third of what Ohtani just got from the Dodgers.

Matt Olson - Eight years, $168 million

When the Braves traded for Matt Olson, it came in the wake of the departure of Braves icon Freddie Freeman in free agency and fans were understandably concerned. However, the Braves were so sold on Olson's ability that they immediately gave him an eight year extension worth $168 million. Olson's first season with the Braves was a mixed bag, but he bounced back in a big way last season to hit 54 home runs and finish fourth in the NL MVP voting. His contract is looking like a fantastic deal right now, but only gets us a little over halfway to Shohei's money when combined with Riley's deal.

Ronald Acuna Jr. - Eight years, $100 million

Basically everyone is still shocked that the Braves managed to get Ronald Acuna Jr. to sign his eight year, $100 million deal in 2019, but there is a rationale on Acuna's side. Signing a deal that early in his career gives him financial security in the event of a career-threatening injury and takes the uncertainty of arbitration completely out of the equation. The Braves did tack on two $17 million club options on the end of the deal which makes what already looks like an absolute bargain for one of the best players in baseball look even better.

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