When the Atlanta Braves made the surprising decision to decline Travis d’Arnaud’s $8 million club option to return in 2025, it felt as if the writing was on the wall. d’Arnaud’s Braves tenure was all but over.
Sure enough, d’Arnaud signed a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday, reuniting with former Braves third base coach Ron Washington in the process. The writing was on the wall, but that doesn’t make d’Arnaud departing any less painful for Braves fans.
d’Arnaud himself only added to the pain Braves fans experienced by penning an emotional goodbye on his Instagram page.
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Travis d’Arnaud posts one final emotional goodbye to Braves fans after signing with Angels
d’Arnaud had a connection with Atlanta before he even joined the organization. His brother, Chase, played in parts of two seasons with the Braves organization while Travis was in the NL East with one of Atlanta’s biggest rivals, the New York Mets. Chase wasn’t the player that Travis was, but even while Travis was wearing an opposing uniform, he was treated well.
Travis would join the Braves ahead of the 2020 campaign, inking a two-year deal following short stints with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Tampa Bay Rays. He’d immediately become an integral piece in Atlanta, taking home a Silver Slugger Award in the shortened 2020 season.
He’d never play in more than 107 games in his five years in Atlanta and often found himself splitting time with other high-end catchers like William Contreras and Sean Murphy, but d’Arnaud always seemed to come through when the Braves needed him to. Whether it was against the Mets, in the World Series, or when the entire team was hurt like it was this past season, d’Arnaud was clutch. That’s what made him such a fan favorite in Atlanta.
Included in his emotional tribute video are memorable moments stemming from a walk-off single, to a pair of World Series home runs, to d’Arnaud celebrating with his teammates after winning the World Series. He was the one behind the plate when Will Smith threw the final pitch of the 2021 World Series.
d’Arnaud, similarly to the 2021 Braves, overcame several obstacles. He battled through injuries and inconsistency during his tenure with the Mets. He was DFA’d by the Mets and had to hop around to a couple of different teams before finally settling in with Atlanta.
He wasn’t a star by any means, but d’Arnaud’s five-year tenure in Atlanta will never be forgotten by Braves fans. The comments on his Instagram post prove just that.
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