ATLANTA — Braves fans, I hope you like the core of your team. He will be there for a long time, waiting for encouragement.
The reigning World Series champions moved aggressively to secure their biggest players on long-term contracts.
Rookie sensation Michael Harris II is the latest to put down roots in Atlanta, on an eight-year deal worth at least $72 million, after only 71 games in his major league career.
Harris, just 21 and the youngest player in the majors, could pocket $102 million over the next decade if the Braves pick up a pair of options in 2031 and ’32.
“I’ve never thought about the year 2030,” Harris said Wednesday, hesitating a bit. “That’s a long way off.”
Not too far off for the Braves, who have taken a determined stance when it comes to securing players on long-term contracts before they’re eligible for free agency.
Austin Riley, an All-Star third baseman who was already under team control for three more years, agreed to a 10-year, $212 million contract that will keep him tied to the Braves until 2032.
It was the richest deal in team history, topping the $168 million eight-year pact Matt Olson signed in March after the Braves cut Freddie Freeman and agreed to a trade with the Oakland Athletics for Acquire another first baseman with hitting power.
The Braves had already secured Venezuelan outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. and second baseman Ozzie Albies, who is currently on the disabled list with a broken foot. Both signed contracts that seem like an absolute bargain in today’s market.
Albies is committed to the Braves for another five years, and only $5 million per season, if the team picks up a pair of options on a deal he signed in 2019 before he was eligible for arbitration.
Acuña followed a similar process less than two weeks after Albies’ signing, agreeing to an eight-year, $100 million contract in the wake of a brilliant debut season that earned him the honor of AL Rookie of the Year. National.
In short, that means five key members of Atlanta’s roster are under contract through at least 2027.
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Bravos seek long-term success with their recent extensions