The owner-imposed shutdown of Major League Baseball may have frozen off-the-shelf transactions and free agency, but that hasn’t stopped occasional rumors from emerging regarding what the teams intend to do if and when the league and the MLB Players Association ratify a new agreement. Collective bargaining agreement.
Below, you can find Tuesday’s rumors, news, and observations from the vast world of baseball.
brave Can he pass from Freeman?
One of the biggest surprises in the first half of season one was the lack of progress between the Atlanta Braves and the first free agent. Freddy Freeman on a new contract.
Despite Freeman being integral to the Braves winning the World Championship last fall, there seems to be a growing sense around the game that the franchise legend may not be returning to Atlanta. just last week, Braves legend Chipper Jones has expressed his belief that Freeman may look elsewhere when the lockdown is lifted. Tuesday, ESPN’s Buster Olney reports that there is “a growing belief that Freeman is going to land somewhere outside of Atlanta.” Olney included an expectation from an executive:
“I suspect [the Braves] He will move quickly to come up with an alternative and move forward to move beyond the conversation.”
Freeman is reportedly seeking a six-year deal. For their part, the Braves responded with a five-year proposal worth $135 million. For the sake of comparison, Paul Goldschmidt Signed a five-year agreement worth $130 million after joining St. Louis Cardinals In 2019 – and that was before he got into free agency.
Given that Freeman is a free agent and three years have passed, it makes sense that Freeman is worth more than an additional $5 million at the top.
back in novemberCBS Sports has highlighted five teams that may be interested in Freeman if he decides to leave Atlanta. This group included Los Angeles DodgersThe Texas Rangersand the New York Yankees.
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As for the Braves, they have already expressed their interest in trading for Auckland Athletics first base man Matt Olson. If Atlanta fails in its pursuit on this front, General Manager Alex Anthopoulos could focus on signing Anthony Rizzo as a temporary means.
Either way, it would be a disappointing ending to Freeman’s run with the Braves. In 12 seasons with the franchise, he has earned 138 OPS+ and earned 43 Wins Above Replacement, according to Baseball-Reference estimates.
