The season may not have started great for the Atlanta Braves after getting swept in Philadelphia, but a bit of good news is being reported as of Tuesday afternoon. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the team and star outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. are finalizing a long-term extension for the reigning NL Rookie of the Year. The extension is reported to be worth $100 million.
BREAKING: Outfielder Ronald Acuña and the Atlanta Braves are finalizing an eight-year, $100 million contract extension, league sources tell ESPN. The deal includes two club options.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) April 2, 2019
All in all, the Braves get Ronald Acuña Jr. for the next 10 years at a maximum of $124 million. It is the sort of deal teams dream of.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) April 2, 2019
Braves, Ronald Acuna Jr. Finalizing Extension
Acuña finally broke into Major League Baseball in 2018 after a meteoric rise through Atlanta’s farm system. Widely regarded as the top prospect in baseball at the time, it did not take long for him to make an impact. He launched a glorious home run while going 3 for 5 in his second game, but that was just the beginning.
After missing much of June with a scary knee injury, Acuña returned to boost the Braves offense. He finished the year slashing .293/.366/.552 with 26 home runs, 26 doubles, and 78 runs scored. He truly was an all-around offensive catalyst from the leadoff spot for Atlanta as the Braves went on to capture their first NL East title since 2013.
The Future
The news of Acuña’s extension comes the day after he hit his first 2019 home run in a 8-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs. There was some speculation last season that Atlanta was trying to sign Acuña to a long-term deal before his debut, but that never materialized. However, after his impressive Rookie of the Year campaign, locking him up right away seems like a smart move.
Once the reported deal is finalized, Atlanta will have locked up one of its superstar pieces for the foreseeable future. Acuña truly has MVP potential and will be teaming up with Freddie Freeman and fellow youngster Ozzie Albies in the middle of the Braves lineup. While the Braves will need to add a few more pieces down the road, this is a slam dunk move for the franchise.
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