So far this offseason, I’ve ranked the Braves free agents by priority and also given the odds each of their own guys return. If you missed either of those articles, follow the links below.
Now, it’s time to predict the contract of each Braves free agent. For the sake of time, I didn’t include Ehire Adrianza and Jesse Chavez, who will both sign around the league minimum if they continue playing next season.
Predicting the contract of each Braves free agent
Robbie Grossman
Grossman was a much better player in 2020 and 2021 than he was in 2022, but he still provided some value for the Braves after they acquired him at the trade deadline. He has proven to crush left-handed pitching, and at least while he was with Atlanta, he showed some pop against righties as well. I don’t see Grossman as much more than a platoon/bench option on a competitive team, but he will surely find a home somewhere in 2023.
Prediction: 1 year, $4 million
Luke Jackson
Heading into free agency fresh off Tommy John surgery is a brutal break for a pitcher, but at least Jackson had it early in the season and should be ready to go for 2023. Given his clubhouse presence and the success he’s had in Atlanta, I think bringing him back is a no-brainer, but the Braves won’t be the only team interested after the numbers he put up in 2021.
Prediction: 1 year, $2.75 million
Adam Duvall
Like Jackson, Duvall is another player coming off season-ending surgery that is set to test unrestricted free agent. He’s also a guy that I would love to have back in Atlanta. The Braves can’t rely strictly on Marcell Ozuna and Eddie Rosario next season, but they likely won’t want to break the bank on outfield help. Duvall would do wonders in stabilizing the position and shouldn’t cost too much in free agency.
Prediction: 1 year, $8 million with a $10 million club option for 2024 with a $2 million buyout
Kenley Jansen
The Braves have already said they would love to have Jansen back, but with Raisel Iglesias in the fold, closer is much less of a necessity. Retaining Jansen will come down to his price tag, and after leading the National League in saves, he may have priced himself out of Atlanta.
Prediction: 2 years, $25 million
Dansby Swanson
This is inarguably the most difficult contract to predict because every organization could have a different opinion on Swanson. Prior to this season, I don’t think anyone would have handed him a contract over $100 million. But in 2022, he was arguably the best shortstop in baseball. Some teams are likely to think he will regress, while others might believe he is entering the prime of his career. Unfortunately for the Braves, it only takes one team to really ramp up the bidding, which means I believe Dansby is about to get PAID this offseason.
Prediction: 6 years, $160 million
—
Photo: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
You must log in to post a comment.