Charlie Morton extended!

[Enscheff]

I wonder if he could get Freddie to take the 3 years plus an option if he pushed that offer to 3/$90 million plus the $30 million/$5 million buyout.

If he's got a 4th year left in him - even if it's as a DH - that would push it close to that $130 million that Goldschmidt got.

Something like this makes sense, and is what I expect Freeman to get from the Braves.

If a team like the Angels goes crazy with $150M then I trust AA is smart enough to let him walk.

[Carp]

I dont see how Braves would be responsible to pay the option when the player declines. It is a mutual option for a reason.

Most recent case I can find is Dellin Betances last year. I'm sure there are others, but this is an example. He could have refused the player option and still have been due a 3 million dollar buyout.

[DirkPiggler]

Something like this makes sense, and is what I expect Freeman to get from the Braves.

If a team like the Angels goes crazy with $150M then I trust AA is smart enough to let him walk.

Depending on the resolution of the Ozuna case, and assuming there is a significant suspension involved, it seems like it would make sense to front load the hell out of a deal for Freddie. Obviously time value of money would have to be taken into account by both sides, but it seems like this could be a way to take care of Freddie while allocating his cost to his most productive seasons.

2022: $42MM

2023: $32MM

2024: $26MM

2025: $20MM

2026: $10MM

That matches the 5/130 that Goldschmidt received, but also reduces the likelihood of the team being saddled with an albatross contract for an older player whose value has cratered.

[clvclv]

Thoughts about the Morton and d'Arnaud extensions and how they might affect payroll...

As far as the rotation goes, nothing really changes. With a.) Fried, Anderson, and Ynoa gaining valuable experience (and no longer "wet behind the ears"), b.) a potential Soroka return at some point, c.) Wright's mini career revival, d.) Muller on hand, e.) Davidson's return, and f.) Elder and Strider's quick development, it's awfully hard to imagine AA goes outside the organization looking for another veteran SP this winter, so payroll doesn't increase (in theory) with Morton's extension and raise. Not spending $11 million on a veteran SP should cover Morton, Fried, Anderson, and Ynoa's 2022 bumps.

If Freeman gets ~ $30 million per and Ozuna is still a part of the roster (or some combination of Duvall/Pederson/Soler/Rosario is retained for similar money), payroll sits just shy of $109 million if Pache's the starting CF. Assuming Fried and Dansby combine to make around $18 million, you're at $127 million. Rodriguez' bump probably pushes things north of $130 million.

That's probably what's behind the delay in a Freeman extension - you'd only have around $20 million left to fill out the roster if the Opening Day number has to be around $150 million, and if Matzek, Jackson, and Minter eat up what Martin makes things are going to start getting tight. There's only $12-$13 million left to pay for Riley, the backup C and IF, and a couple pen arms if Heredia and Pache aren't your CFs. Riley's likely going to qualify for Super 2 status, and it's probably fair to expect he'll get somewhere in the neighborhood of what Fried got this year (if not maybe even more).