The Atlanta Braves may find themselves in familiar territory when the MLB CBA expires after the 2026 season. They have a fan-favorite player approaching the end of his contract, with the potential for a lockout. For those that are still mourning the loss of Freddie Freeman, you may want to avert your eyes.

There’s concern that a lockout may occur due to discussions about implementing a salary cap/floor, and owners/players not being the biggest fans of that. Why should Atlanta be worried? Well, Ronald
Acuña Jr. is nearing the end of his deal with the Braves.

Acuña’s contract is guaranteed for 2026, but after that, there’s a bit of uncertainty. He has two club options worth $17 million for the 2027 and 2028 seasons. After that, he would reach the free agent market.

The timing of the expiration of Ronald Acuña Jr.’s deal and the upcoming CBA talks is not ideal

It’s hard to imagine the Braves won’t find a way to extend Acuña before he reaches that point. However, fans felt this way about Freddie Freeman, and we see how that turned out.

The situation will be eerily similar as the CBA expires after the 2026 season. A lockout occurred ahead of the Freeman drama that ensued. There is a silver lining to this, and it’s that the options
Acuña has club options.

Although it would be a lot more comforting if the team just went ahead and extended him. The likelihood of this isn’t high with the future CBA being unknown. They’d likely wait until that is finalized before committing to a long-term deal.

Acuña won’t be cheap if he’s able to maintain the incredible performance we’ve seen from him over the years. Yes, his injuries are a reason to be cautious about spending a lot of money. However, the risk should not outweigh the benefit in this case. He is a generational talent, and the fans want him here.

It feels like a no-brainer that they should ensure Acuña is an Atlanta Brave for the rest of his career. He has expressed his desire to remain in Atlanta, but a player staying with one team is extremely rare in today’s game.

Atlanta would be wise not to let another face of the franchise get away after expressing a desire to stay. Fans will be forgiving, but if the same situation happens a third time, it could be an absolute disaster for the organization.