Their most dynamic player, outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr., is expected to be fully recovered at some point during the first half of the 2022 season after going down in July with a season-ending knee injury. If Freeman re-signs, the Braves should be the favorites for a fifth straight NL East title and one of the top contenders for another Series championship.
So hopefully I can continue to do that.”įreeman's uncertain status left the city with a bit of dread, even as it prepared for a Friday parade to toast Atlanta's second championship in the four major American sports. “It means everything to put on that Braves uniform every day. Almost half my life, I’ve been in this organization,” Freeman said. 'I’ve been here since I was 17 years old. The Braves had hoped to lock up the 32-year-old Freeman to a long-term deal before they got to the end of the season, but the two sides have yet to agree on terms.įreeman was among 160 players who became a free agent Wednesday, along with World Series MVP Jorge Soler and NL Championship Series MVP Eddie Rosario. It's hard to envision the Braves defending the title they worked so hard to achieve without No. Freeman's future is the most pressing offseason issue facing the Braves, who capped an improbable run to their first World Series title since 1995 with a 7-0 rout of the Houston Astros in Game 6 on Tuesday night.
