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Alex Anthopoulos Explains How Braves Will Handle Their Free Agents
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- Alex Anthopoulos Explains How Braves Will Handle Their Free Agents
(Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports)
One more Milwaukee win would start the clock on the busiest part of the offseason for the Atlanta Braves , whose season ended against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL Division Series.
The Brewers lead the Tampa Bay Rays three games to one in the World Series, with Game 5 set for Wednesday night at Tropicana Field, and once that series ends, a long list of decisions lands on Atlanta's desk at once.
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The Clock Starts After the Final Out
Eligible players become free agents on the first day after the World Series ends, and five days after the final out, at 5 p.m. ET, every club is free to sign them.
That same day is the last chance for a team to make a qualifying offer, which is worth $23.15 million for one year, and the offseason calendar laid out by MLB.com says it seems unlikely Atlanta will make that offer to any of its free agents.
The Braves also have to exercise the club options for right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. at $17 million and second baseman Ozzie Albies at $7 million within five days after the World Series ends.
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I don't see either one as a hard call, and keeping Albies at that price looks like an easy decision for a team that went 94-68 and won the NL East.
Familiar Names Set to Hit the Market
Utility man Mauricio Dubón, right-handed pitcher Tyler Mahle and right-handed reliever Raisel Iglesias are the biggest names on Atlanta's free agent list.
Iglesias saved 34 games with a 2.55 ERA this season, and there is a real case for bringing him back to close games again in 2027.
President of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos was asked about Mahle, who came over from the San Francisco Giants on Aug. 2, when he met with reporters on Oct. 11 , and his answer covered every player headed for the open market.
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"We'll take advantage for all of our [free agents] of the exclusive negotiating window we have," Anthopoulos said.
That window closes five days after the World Series ends, so whatever Atlanta has been working on with its own players must come together soon.
Anthopoulos also said he is very comfortable with Dubón at shortstop.
Dubón is a Gold Glove finalist with the winners set to be announced on Sunday, and I think Atlanta has good reason to bring him back .
Why Atlanta Should Move Early
This winter runs on a tighter clock than usual, because the labor deal between the league and the players expires on Dec. 1.
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A lockout would shut down free agency and trades, which could leave the Braves with only about a month to fix their roster before everything freezes.
I think that should push Atlanta to act fast on its own players first, since Dubón, Mahle and Iglesias already know the clubhouse.
The Braves also have until Nov. 20 to decide whether to tender contracts to their five arbitration-eligible players, and that deadline falls in the same short window.
This team was good enough to win the division but not good enough to get past the Dodgers, and if I were running the Braves, I would lock up Iglesias and Dubón for 2027 before the market opens to every other club.
