Braves: Chipper Jones comments won’t help keep Freddie Freeman

Freddie Freeman’s future is up in the air, but it’s seeming more and more difficult that he’ll return to the Atlanta Braves. 

For Atlanta Braves fans everywhere, people just want the lockout to end so the team can finalize things in free agency. It goes without saying, but all eyes will be on superstar first baseman Freddie Freeman.

After helping Atlanta win the World Series in 2021, the focus quickly shifted to whether or not the team would sign him to a new deal. As things stand – in the middle of the lockout – Freeman is a free man and he’s been linked to the Yankees and others. Chipper Jones is hopeful Freeman will be back, but his latest comments really doesn’t give the Atlanta faithful much hope.

Will Freddie Freeman end up signing with the Atlanta Braves?

“I haven’t talked to Freddie in quite some time, but I’m sure he’s probably a little frustrated this wasn’t done in Spring Training last year,” Jones said this week.

There’s no denying Atlanta dropped the ball a bit here in not getting things figured out much sooner with Freeman. Freeman has spent 12 glorious years with Atlanta, playing in the All-Star Game five times and taking home NL MVP honors in 2020. The World Series this past season really was the cherry on top.

With that said, Freeman is still a stellar player and he’s only 32 years old. With plenty of hunger left in him, Freeman wants to keep playing at a high level and try and win another World Series ring. Will that come with Atlanta or a new team?

Again, Jones, a Braves legend himself, wants Freeman back with the team. Only time will tell if the Braves are able to get this done or not.

Giving Freeman — a player from a different era in the sport — advice on how to handle his contract dispute won’t help matters. Chipper means well, but at this point he’s just a mouthpiece for the organization.

Freeman will make his own choices. Jones isn’t one of his close advisors.