Atlanta Braves: Three Players to Extend
The Atlanta Braves have a winning culture right now with three consecutive National League East championships. However, they have not yet reached their Mount Everest and won their first National League pennant since 1999.
Braves manager Brian Snitker helped turn this club around. In his first season and a half, Snitker had a winning percentage of .483. Atlanta struggled immensely in 2016 and 2017.
The rebuild did not last long and they won 90 games in 2018, 97 in 2019 and went 35-25 in the 60-game abbreviated season of 2020. His winning percentage has been .578.
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Their future was turned around quickly with the help of young players like Ronald Acuna Jr. and Ozzie Albies as well as veterans Nick Markakis and Travis d’Arnaud. This team is a legitimate contender to win the National League.
They have not been very busy this offseason. They brought back reliever Josh Tomlin and signed a pair of starting pitchers, Drew Smyly and two-time All-Star Charlie Morton, to one-year deals..
One of their biggest contributors in 2020 was two-time All-Star and 2020 Silver Slugger winner Marcell Ozuna, who led the National League with 18 home rums and 56 RBI. They might not want to open the checkbooks and lock him up long-term. If they do not, they need to consider how else they should spend their money.
They have internal options that need to become long-term financial commitments. Here are three players the Atlanta Braves should extend before the start of the 2021 season.
Atlanta Braves extension candidate No. 1: Freddie Freeman
Freddie Freeman is the main reason why the Atlanta Braves turned the corner the way they did.
Almost seven years ago, Freddie Freeman signed an eight-year, $135 million contract with Atlanta. This was a fantastic move by the Braves and it locked up one of the faces of their franchise.
Since he debuted in 2010, Freeman is a four-time All-Star, a two-time Silver Slugger and has won both a Gold Glove and the 2020 NL MVP award
Freeman, 31, has been one of the most consistent players not just for Atlanta, but in all of baseball. He is arguably the best first baseman in baseball. He hits for contact, having a .295 average, and has developed more power, increasing his doubles and home runs each season.
The Braves need to extend him and lock him up to a final, career-ending contract.
Freeman is scheduled to become a free agent after the 2021 season, and the Braves would be very smart to sign him now before he hits the open market or has another MVP season before he hits free agency, and his price goes up.
Extending Freeman to a six- or seven-year contract would be good for the clubhouse and would give the Braves an MVP caliber player for the next few seasons.
He is great defensively and he can hit productively in multiple ways.
Atlanta Braves extension candidate No. 2: Mike Soroka
Even though his 2020 season was shortened due to injury, the Atlanta Braves should seriously consider extending Mike Soroka long-term. When you have a pitcher that talented, keeping him is beyond necessary. Without Soroka, the Braves do not have a true ace.
In 2019, he proved he can be a Cy Young candidate, finishing sixth on the NL ballot. He is a tall right-hander with a variety of pitches and can get batters out in many different ways.
It might be a little out there, but signing Soroka through his three seasons of arbitration and then for two or three more additional years into his free-agency eligibility would not be an unwise decision.
Soroka will only be 23 in 2021. He is he ace of Atlanta’s pitching staff and will be for the foreseeable future. Keeping him happy and locking him up to a deal similar to Luis Severino, Aaron Nola or Blake Snell is in the best interest of the organization.
Soroka is capable of great things and extending him now could save the team money in the future, because he is destined to do well and be successful. His price will only go higher as he performs well for the next few seasons. An extension would be a smart and safe move for the Braves.
Atlanta Braves extension candidate No. 3: Dansby Swanson
Locking up Dansby Swanson, even though they have two years of team control remaining, is a logical move because the Atlanta Braves are most likely not going to spend big on an All-Star shortstop that will be a free agent next season like Trevor Story, Corey Seager or Francisco Lindor.
Having a shortstop that is one of the cornerstones of your team is crucial for success.
Swanson will be 27 at the beginning of next season. The former No. 1 overall pick has displayed more power recently, seeing a rise in doubles, slugging percentage and home runs. Swanson is a career .249 hitter but hit .251 in 2019 and .274 in 60 games in 2020. His batting average is on the rise and he has yet to reach his potential.
Extending Swanson now, before he continues to play better and his stock continues to rise, is a smart decision and will save the Atlanta Braves a lot of money in the future.
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Swanson is not necessarily a top of middle of the order hitter, but he is a solid player to hit around sixth or seventh. He adds depth to Atlanta’s lineup and was a big part in their recent turnaround. Extend him now to a reasonable deal, one like that of Ozzie Albies, and Atlanta would not have to worry about the shortstop position for a long time.