Why Ronald Acuna Jr. won’t be with Braves for entire career despite contract extension desire

On Friday, Ronald Acuna Jr. told reporters he wants to finish his career with the Atlanta Braves. But if you know anything about the Braves, you know that probably won’t happen.If you’re a seasoned baseball fan, you know the Braves are making a big offer for Acuna. Atlanta is known for team friendly deals. They currently have seven players, including Acuna, in a Braves uniform through at least 2028 and on either six-, seven-, eight- or 10-year contracts. Austin Riley has the longest and most lucrative contract at 10 years, $212 million and an average salary of $21.2 million per season.“You know what’s scary? The head is at an age where the head heals, Braves manager Brian Snitker told a Bally Sports South reporter on Friday.The Braves knew this well when they signed him to an extension in 2019 when he was just 21 years old. Head#039; now 26 years old, just entering his prime and having the best year of his career statistically – and yet, can he get better?If you’re a seasoned baseball fan, you know the Braves are making a big offer for Acuna. Atlanta is known for team friendly deals. They currently have seven players, including Acuna, in a Braves uniform through at least 2028 and on either six-, seven-, eight- or 10-year contracts. Austin Riley has the longest and most lucrative contract at 10 years, $212 million and an average salary of $21.2 million per season.“You know what’s scary? The head is at an age where the head heals, Braves manager Brian Snitker told a Bally Sports South reporter on Friday.The Braves knew this well when they signed him to an extension in 2019 when he was just 21 years old. Good#039; now 26 years old, just entering his prime and statistically having the best year of his career – and yet, can he get any better?We know from history that the Yankees pay; but not the bravest. Akuna has had to watch two of his teammates join other teams over the past two years in first baseman Freddie Freeman and Dansby Swanson, both of whom were considered Braves lifers, as Akuna wants to be.But as much as Akuna wants to talk to Braves superiors like general manager Alex Anthopoulos, the fact is the Braves operate on their own terms — they have no problem letting players go to other teams. This is especially true for aging players looking for long-term contracts.The Braves allowed Freeman to become a Dodger at 31 and Swanson at 29 at the same time. If the Braves pick up Acuna’s club options for both 2027 and 2028, he will become a free agent next year at age 31.You would think that if Akuna wanted to finish his career in Atlanta, an extension would be somewhere between 8-10 years, $300-380 million. It is highly unlikely that the Braves would ever make such an offer.Back to Riley, he will be 37 when he becomes a free agent after a 10-year, $212 million contract. In addition to major changes to the top management of the Braves, the Bravesand#039; If you want to play in Atlanta, you can give young players long-term subcontracts and then ask them to accept submarket extensions. But it’s also important to remember that starting in July 2023, the Braves will be a public company. This means that every dollar earned is put back into the team. The problem is the possibility that Acuna may not stay with the team in the future, as the Braves may not want to spend a large portion of their revenue to keep him..