The Atlanta Braves have done it, defeating the Houston Astros 4-2 for their fourth title in franchise history and first since 1995. Atlanta was a bit of a surprise coming into the postseason, lacking both the star power and gaudy records of its National League counterparts in Los Angeles and San Francisco, but proved to be a complete squad throughout an epic playoff run.
What does the Braves' future look like now that their 2021 postseason run has ended in glory? Bradford Doolittle takes a look at where Atlanta stands and answers three key questions for the club moving forward to 2022 and beyond.
Atlanta Braves
Notable free agents: Freddie Freeman, Adam Duvall (mutual option), Joc Pederson (mutual option), Eddie Rosario, Jorge Soler, Ehire Adrianza, Jesse Chavez, Chris Martin, Drew Smyly
Trade candidates: Sean Newcomb, Cristian Pache
Extension candidates: Dansby Swanson, Max Fried, Ian Anderson, Austin Riley, Mike Soroka
1. How much will it cost to keep Freddie Freeman in a Braves uniform?
There are three potential costs for any free agent. The literal one is simply how much money and for how long. The second is about who that free agent may be blocking from the minor leagues. And the third is about opportunity cost: If you sign this player, will it limit your ability to manage the rest of your roster?
None of these potential costs should be an obstacle to the Braves re-signing Freeman to a deal that will keep him in Atlanta for the rest of his career. That's easily the most likely outcome of his free agency. Still, there are a couple of reasons you can't quite call it a no-brainer. First, Freeman doesn't live in Atlanta full time -- he spends part of his year in his native Southern California. Second, there is the fact that a Freeman extension hasn't already happened.
Working in the Braves' favor, in terms of long-term payroll planning, are the team-friendly early extensions the club agreed to with young stars Ozzie Albies (through 2027, including club options) and Ronald Acuna Jr. (through 2028, with club options). So, really, we're getting a bit cute with this question. It should not be how much it will cost to keep Freeman in Atlanta -- it's how much it would cost the franchise if he left.
2. Why did we have so many bullpen games in October?
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In other words, how could a franchise that has collected as many high-upside starting pitching prospects as anyone in baseball over the past seven or eight years not be able to come up with four stable starting pitchers for the playoffs? It's a pertinent question for before and after the broken leg that shelved Charlie Morton in Game 1 of the World Series.
Every team strives to build rotation depth, and the Braves are no different, but Atlanta seemed to be a club capable of filling out the depth chart with homegrown options. Instead, we got Dylan Lee and Tucker Davidson starting back-to-back games of the World Series. Which, you might have heard, the Braves won, so this question is clearly not a deal-breaker.
The Braves can count on Ian Anderson and Max Fried being at the front of their 2022 rotation, and Morton is expected to be back for spring training after having surgery on his fractured fibula. Atlanta is surely hoping for a full return to health from Mike Soroka. If that much comes together, the Braves' top four is as strong as you're going to find.
It's after that where the Braves will need to do some careful assessment, sifting through a number of still-young pitchers and their probability of pitching out of a first-division rotation. Huascar Ynoa, Kyle Wright, Touki Toussaint, Kyle Muller, Tucker Davidson, Bryce Wilson. The list of possibilities is long. Then again, it was this year, too.
3. Who from the improvised outfield of 2021 should be retained?
The Braves' ability to cobble together their post-All-Star-break outfield from four veterans on expiring contracts was one of the stories of the season. Now Jorge Soler, Eddie Rosario, Joc Pederson and Adam Duvall are all headed for free agency, assuming Duvall and Pederson both exercise their options to become free agents.
Acuna probably should not be counted on before around the start of May. Marcell Ozuna could be suspended after MLB completes its investigation of domestic abuse allegations, and it could be for a long period of time. It's also an open question whether the Braves want Ozuna back, but he does have three years and $52 million left on his contract, plus an option year.
The Braves can hope that Cristian Pache's return to the minors might have given him the final developmental polish that he needed. And Atlanta has high-level prospect Drew Waters on the way as well, though he didn't have a great season in Triple-A.
Still, with the universal DH possibly on the way, the Braves could make a run at keeping one or two of their midseason acquisitions if the price is right.