Jim Bowden of The Athletic broke down what he believes should be each organization’s first move once the lockout ends, and his opinion on the Braves is far from a surprise — re-sign Freddie Freeman to a six-year, $187 million contract. Here is what he had to say about Atlanta’s first baseman:
I don’t understand why the Braves haven’t signed Freeman, but the fact that they’ve talked to the A’s about a possible trade for Matt Olson makes me believe they’re not sure they’re going to re-sign him. The Braves reportedly won’t go to six years for Freeman, but I haven’t been able to confirm that, nor do I believe after winning a world championship they wouldn’t go there for the face of their franchise. They would be making a huge mistake if they get outbid by the Dodgers or Yankees. After the lockout ends, the first thing the Braves should do is walk to the podium and announce they’ve re-signed Freeman.
I agree with pretty much everything Bowden says in the piece. It would be a gut-punch to the entire organization if Freeman signed with the Yankees, or even worse, the Dodgers. If the gap in negotiations really is just one year, a deal has to get done. There’s no way the Braves shouldn’t offer at least a sixth year after winning a World Series. Not only would the team be worse heading into 2022, but it would also set a bad precedent for future negotiations.
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