The Atlanta Braves are in an enviable position this offseason. They have almost the entirety of their 104-win infield, their DH, and a generational pitcher locked up in multi-year deals. Even so, there are big decisions they need to make this offseason, the most pressing of which is the players in their large arbitration-eligible pool they might want to let go, and which they'll keep and make a new deal with for the next season. From key dates to players who might find themselves in free agency, here is a Braves forecast for arbitration and non-tendering.
Key MLB salary arbitration dates
- Jan. 12: Teams and players must present salary figures to each other by this date. They can agree on a number anytime before Jan. 29 in order to avoid arbitration hearings.
- Jan. 29 - Feb. 6: Arbitration hearings take place between teams and players who haven't reached a salary agreement.
Players become eligible for arbitration, or negotiation of their contracts with their team, after three years of Major League service time, and they remain eligible until their sixth year. Players and teams have to put their initial offers forward by Jan. 12 and have to be agreed on a number by Jan. 29 to avoid going to arbitration. If they do head to arbitration, a panel of arbitrators hear from the player and the team and side with one party's offer. If the team doesn't want to open the possibility of negotiation with a player at all, he can be traded or non-tendered.
Players can become eligible in their second year of MLB service if they are in the top 22% of players according to service time. They fall under the Super Two arbitration eligibility designation.
Which Braves are eligible for arbitration?
Max Fried
AJ Minter
Nicky Lopez
Michael Soroka
Kyle Wright
Tyler Matzek
Michael Tonkin
Yonny Chirinos
Nick Anderson
Kolby Allard
Huascar Ynoa
Starter Max Fried is in year four of Super Two arbitration eligibility and should expect a massive $8 million hike next year, up to $21.6 million by Spotrac's estimate, which would make him the second-highest earning Brave in 2024 after Matt Olson. Of Atlanta's arbitration-eligible players, Fried is the only must-keep for the Braves the offseason, though AJ Minter is also likely to expect an offer of a $2 million raise. Most of Atlanta's core is locked up for a long time; retaining Fried is the big piece that the Braves really need to focus on during the offseason.
When is the non-tender deadline?
The deadline for clubs to non-tender a player is Nov. 17. When a player is non-tendered, the club decides not to offer him a contract and he becomes a free agent. Last year, the Braves non-tendered pitchers Silvino Bracho, Alan Rangel, Jackson Stephens, Brooks Wilson, and outfielder Guillermo Heredia. MLB Trade Rumors predicts Nicky Lopez, Kolby Allard, Michael Soroka, Huascar Ynoa, Yonny Chirinos, and Michael Tonkin could all be non-tendered this year.
Which Braves have been non-tendered?
Ahead of the Nov. 17 deadline, the Braves non-tendered Kolby Allard, Yonny Chirinos, Penn Murfee, Angel Perdomo, Michael Tonkin, Chadwick Tromp, and Luke Williams.