Braves signs Matt Olson to an eight-year contract

Braves signed the first newly acquired baseman Matt Olson The team today announced an eight-year, $168 million contract that runs through the 2029 season. Atlanta also has a $20 million club option for the ninth season. Olson represented by Jet Sports.

Atlanta, one of the few organizations to publicly disclose contract terms, has announced that Olson will earn $15 million next season and $21 million in 2023 before paying an annual rate of $22 million in the last six seasons of the contract. Olson also donated $1.68 million to the Atlanta Braves Foundation as part of the deal. “Now he’s part of that core,” the chief of baseball operations told reporters.Twitter link via Justin Toscano for The Atlanta Journal).

Anthopoulos and his front office wasted little time in establishing that Olson and with him Ronald Akuna Jr. And the Ozzy AlbisIt is now one of the building blocks for a team that hopes to build on last year’s world championship. The secured portion of Olson’s contract even expands beyond Acuna’s, although Braves holds club options in Acuna for the 2027 and 2028 seasons. Alpes’ contract runs until at least 2025 and holds club options for the 2026 and 2027 seasons.

was Olson expected by MLBTR contributor Matt Schwartz, to earn $12 million next season, and was owed one final lift in arbitration in 2023 before it was ready to hit the open market. He would give up six free agent seasons in the potential deal, and likely secure somewhere in the $138 million or so range for the six free agent seasons. The new contract surpasses that of Olson’s predecessor, Freddy Freemanfor the largest decade in franchise history.

Olson’s $168 million guarantee exceeds Braves’ reported $140 million offer to Freeman, although it is significant to Braves and ownership in Liberty Media that Olson turns 27 (28 later this year). the month). Freeman is 32, and he was 38 by the time his six-year deal — his stated asking price — ended. Meanwhile, Olson has now been signed during his 35-year season.

More is coming.