Here’s the thing about Freddie. And you guys know this so I’m not breaking news. You’re in gravy mode. You won the World Series. Ozzie and Acuna are signed long term. Riley is the one only you need to truly get down. If we can’t quite afford a reliever because we overpaid Freddie in 2026 nobody is gonna hold that against you. I want a dynasty, that would be amazing. But you got the one. The monkey is off the back.
And the other thing: You’re not paying BJ Upton or a big time FA that people will be mad didn’t produce. It’s Freddie. Even if the contract sucks and doesn’t work, the majority of Braves fans aren’t gonna care. He’s gonna have his number retired and be a Braves legend. Braves fan would rather Freddie in a Braves uniform forever then have financial flexibility in 2026 or 2027. There’s no reason to haggle over an extra $5M-6M/year or paying him an extra year. Keep your fans happy and let them enjoy him.