Atlanta Braves: Previewing Potential Free Agents
By Kit Anderson
The Atlanta Braves will have a lot of impact players potentially hitting the free-agent market this season. With the focus already shifting to next season lets take a look at this season’s expiring contracts.
The Atlanta Braves roster is a mix of a lot of up-and-coming talent and veterans who will have expiring contracts this season. Here is the full list of potential free-agents and whether or not the Braves should move on.
Tyler Flowers- Tyler Flowers is one of the more interesting names on this list. Flowers has a $4MM team option that the Braves could opt to use. His contract has a$300K buyout option as well. If you have been paying attention then you know Flowers has proven himself well worth the four-million he would be owed on the team option. Whether or not he is the primary catcher the Braves should bring Flowers back for at least another season.
Kurt Suzuki- The Braves benefited signing the veteran Suzuki to a team friendly deal that has worked out well for both sides. With that said it is time to let Suzuki go and look for a starting upgrade or a better platoon to pair with Flowers.
Brandon Phillips- Phillips has outplayed anyone else at second base this season but when you are a part of a young up and coming infield you are likely to be phased out and that is what will happen to Phillips. The Braves are going to move on from the veteran by all accounts. That is not the move that should be made however, Phillips has more than proven his worth and should be brought back until Ozzie Albies has proven himself.
R.A. Dickey- Dickey has an $8-million dollar team option or a $500K buyout. For our part Dickey’s buyout is going to look very tempting saving around $7-million to help target a top of the rotation starter while providing a space for another young starter sounds like an effective way to multi-task. It has been fun but time to move on from R.A.
Next: Braves Off-season Targets
The Atlanta Braves will have plenty of decisions to make this off-season including some possible extensions that are in the rumor mill this off-season.