Braves bring back $7M World Series fan favorite after GM Alex Anthopoulos cast doubt on future originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Atlanta Braves have had some important decisions to make this offseason. The first big move has already happened, as the Braves hired Walt Weiss to be their manager for at least the next three seasons. Another key question heading into the offseason was what the Braves would do about Ozzie Albies.
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“The only other position player who has a club option attached to his name is second baseman Ozzie Albies. Last season was a down year (albeit injury driven) for [the] Curacao native, but the team would only save $3 million if they declined Ozzie’s option. That is because his $7 million club option comes with a $4 million buyout, meaning Ozzie is almost certainly returning as the Braves second baseman next season,” HTHB’s Chase Owens wrote.
On Tuesday, the Braves decided to bring back Albies, potentially for his final season in Atlanta.
“The Braves are going to pick up their club option on infielder Ozzie Albies. The club hasn’t announced the decision yet, but president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos confirmed the move in a radio appearance, per Mark Zinno of 92.9 The Game,” MLB Trade Rumors’ Steve Adams wrote.
Albies was a big question mark coming into the offseason, largely due to comments from GM Alex Anthopoulos during the regular season.
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“With all these options (on players), we always make the decision at the end of the year — you have five days after the World Series, and that’s when you make the decision. It’s just, things can happen, things change. You always wait,” Anthopoulos said.
It is now certain that Albies will return for at least one more season. There aren’t many second basemen like him in the league who can hit from both sides and play strong defense.
Albies has made it very clear that he wants his entire career to be in Atlanta. For at least one more season, that hope lives on.
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