Freddie Freeman and the Braves continue to work towards a deal, but with the lockout imminent, it doesn’t look like we will know something for quite some time. The Yankees, Blue Jays, Dodgers, and others are also interested, so it’s fair for Braves fans to worry. This feels like a deal that should have been done a year ago, and now he’s getting courted by some of the richest teams in baseball. The Yankees, in particular, have shown strong interest in Freeman, but according to MLB Insider Jon Heyman, not even they feel confident in their chances of stealing him from the Braves.
Yankees are among teams in the bidding for Braves superstar Freddie Freeman. But hard to find anyone who thinks he’ll leave Atlanta, including Yanks. They view it as another situation akin to Jeter as player with Yankees. It seems Braves must bridge 5/6 year difference with FF.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 2, 2021
As has been reported several times, the issue seems to be that sixth year. We know the Braves offered Freeman a five-year contract in the $135 million range earlier this offseason, which would have made him the highest-paid first baseman in the game, but it looks like Freeman is looking for something closer to six years, $180 million.
If the gap is truly that minimal, Braves fans should feel confident that Freeman will play in Atlanta next season. However, the longer this goes, the more opportunity the Braves give other teams a chance to swoop in with an offer he cannot refuse.
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