3 moves Braves must make to respond to Mets’ Max Scherzer signing
By Thomas Erbe
Braves need to keep Freddie Freeman in Atlanta.
Freddie Freeman has spent his entire career in Atlanta with the Braves. He joined the big-league club at the tail end of Chipper Jones’ career, battled through losing seasons, and became the face of the franchise as they rebuilt the farm to bring success back to Atlanta. In just over 11 full seasons (20 games in 2010), Freeman is a .295 hitter with 271 home runs offensively, a Gold Glove winner defensively, a five-time All-Star, and former league Most Valuable Player. He is 32 years old and is looking for some compensation after taking a team-friendly 8-year deal in 2014.
The first-base market in free agency is relatively thin. Anthony Rizzo is the other big name that is still out there with Freeman. However, players in the clubhouse and fans in the stands have been very vocal about wanting the organization to keep Freeman in the ATL for the remainder of his career.