LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – OCTOBER 21: Freddie Freeman #5 of the Atlanta Braves celebrates a two run home run during the first inning of Game Five of the National League Championship Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on October 21, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Will the Atlanta Braves be able to get free agent Freddie Freeman to come back or will he wind up with another team next season?
The Atlanta Braves will face some tough competition for their star first baseman.
Freddie Freeman is one of the biggest names in this year’s crop of MLB free agents and even though the 32-year-old has only played for Atlanta up to this point in his impressive career, there’s a good chance that he might be playing elsewhere moving forward.
The Braves are still likely the favorite to end up with Freeman, but would they be willing to offer the sort of contract that he would like to have? So far, it appears as if they aren’t interested in giving Freeman a six-year deal that would be somewhere in the ballpark of $180 million.
It appears as if Freeman might be a little frustrated with the Braves at the moment and there might be an opportunity for the Los Angeles Dodgers to convince him to head back to his home state and play for them.
Plus, it seems like there’s a real chance that the Dodgers might be willing to match what Freeman would want.
Freddie Freeman free agency update: Will Freddie Freeman return to Atlanta Braves?
The Braves, on the other hand, probably want to be a little more conservative with the way they manage their payroll.
Freeman could also conceivably be an option for the New York Yankees, assuming they want to venture into spending a ton for a first baseman. Given the way New York likes to spend money, that could potentially be a great pairing for everyone involved.
Atlanta will still have some time to make some sort of deal possible though. Freeman may continue to play for the Braves going forward. Still, the fact that he’s not already locked into a deal is a bit astonishing given his career and his apparent dedication to both the city of Atlanta and the Braves franchise.