{"id":142067,"date":"2026-01-19T12:45:10","date_gmt":"2026-01-19T12:45:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=142067"},"modified":"2026-01-19T12:45:10","modified_gmt":"2026-01-19T12:45:10","slug":"%f0%9f%94%a5-breaking-inside-pay-acuna-now-or-later-braves-on-the-brink-as-contract-debate-threatens-franchise-future-stars-value-soars-with-every-mega-deal-across-mlb","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=142067","title":{"rendered":"\ud83d\udd25 BREAKING INSIDE: Pay Acu\u00f1a Now or Later? Braves on the Brink as Contract Debate Threatens Franchise Future \u2014 Star\u2019s Value Soars With Every Mega Deal Across MLB! \ud83d\udc47"},"content":{"rendered":"

How Much Will the Braves Have to Pay Ronald Acu\u00f1a Jr. When His Contract Extension Comes?<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Pay<\/p>\n

This discussion has been brewing for a while, but with recent absurd contracts being handed out across Major League Baseball, the question is becoming more pressing: How much are the Atlanta Braves going to have to pay Ronald Acu\u00f1a Jr.<\/strong> when the time comes for a new deal?<\/p>\n

For the next three years<\/strong>, Acu\u00f1a\u2019s salary remains a manageable $17 million<\/strong>. While that seemed like a bargain even before he won the 2023 MVP<\/strong>, it looks like an absolute steal now, especially considering the record-breaking contracts other players have received \u2014 some of whom Acu\u00f1a may be better than.<\/p>\n

The Market’s Inflation of Acu\u00f1a’s Value<\/strong><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s start with Juan Soto<\/strong>, whose $765 million<\/strong> contract with the Mets<\/strong> this past offseason raised the ceiling for top-tier outfielders. Soto\u2019s $51 million<\/strong> annual average salary is now a standard against which many other players are compared. The fact that Soto is an outfielder \u2014 like Acu\u00f1a \u2014 automatically boosts Acu\u00f1a\u2019s value.<\/p>\n

Earlier in the offseason, Kyle Schwarber<\/strong>, a designated hitter<\/strong>, also managed to secure a $30 million-per-year deal<\/strong>. This deal raised eyebrows because Schwarber doesn\u2019t even play in the field, yet he is being paid as one of the highest earners in the game. This development, though surprising, also highlights the trend where the market for power-hitting players<\/strong> has escalated rapidly, especially when compared to traditional positions.<\/p>\n

The most recent examples of inflated salaries came when Kyle Tucker<\/strong> signed a four-year, $240 million deal<\/strong> with the Los Angeles Dodgers<\/strong>, which comes out to an average of $60 million per year<\/strong>. Bo Bichette<\/strong> also reached a deal with the Mets worth $42 million per year<\/strong>, a staggering figure for a player without a strong defensive reputation or MVP credentials.<\/p>\n

What This Means for Acu\u00f1a\u2019s Future Salary<\/strong><\/p>\n

At this point, it’s not hard to recognize that Acu\u00f1a is due for a contract extension that will likely exceed all of these deals<\/strong>. The main question is when the Braves will pull the trigger, and how much the contract will cost them when it happens.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s be clear: Acu\u00f1a is already underpaid<\/strong> by the standards set by players like Soto, Tucker, and Bichette. Acu\u00f1a has an MVP award<\/strong>, multiple All-Star appearances<\/strong>, and a much better defensive profile<\/strong> than some of the players making more money than him. Aaron Judge<\/strong>, the reigning AL MVP<\/strong> and a two-time winner, is now making just $40 million per year<\/strong>, a figure that\u2019s now being surpassed by players with no MVP accolades to their name.<\/p>\n

To put it in perspective, Acu\u00f1a\u2019s 2023 MVP<\/strong> season was historic<\/strong>. Despite not even playing a full season (missing time until late May<\/strong>), Acu\u00f1a surged to lead the Braves in multiple categories and cement himself as one of the game\u2019s elite players<\/strong>. His performance in the All-Star Game<\/strong>, where he was a starter alongside Tucker, demonstrated just how good he can be when healthy.<\/p>\n

The Braves\u2019 Genius Move and the Growing Cost<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Braves\u2019 decision to lock down Acu\u00f1a in 2019<\/strong> with an incredible 10-year, $124 million contract<\/strong> was an absolute masterstroke<\/strong>. Not only did they secure one of the most dynamic players in the game for an extended period, but they did so at a fraction of what he could be earning now. That contract, however, is approaching its end, and it\u2019s only a matter of time before the Braves have to pay the price for getting a deal that was as team-friendly as it was.<\/p>\n

As Acu\u00f1a enters his prime and proves himself to be one of the faces of MLB, the Braves are staring down the inevitability of a mega-extension<\/strong>. The longer they wait, the more that extension is going to cost them. A three-time MVP<\/strong> and the face of the Braves<\/strong> cannot stay undervalued forever.<\/p>\n

\"Atlanta<\/p>\n

The Risks of Waiting: Free Agency Looms<\/strong><\/p>\n

The biggest danger the Braves face is the possibility of Acu\u00f1a testing free agency<\/strong> if they don\u2019t extend him soon. While Acu\u00f1a has expressed a desire to stay in Atlanta<\/strong>, the longer the Braves wait, the more likely it becomes that he might want to see what the open market offers. If Acu\u00f1a ever reaches free agency<\/strong>, it\u2019s almost certain that multiple suitors<\/strong>, including teams with deep pockets like the Los Angeles Dodgers<\/strong> or New York Mets<\/strong>, will be lining up to make a massive offer.<\/p>\n

Why the Braves Might Wait<\/strong><\/p>\n

Of course, there\u2019s an argument for the Braves to wait a bit longer before making an extension offer. The upcoming collective bargaining agreement<\/strong> could change things dramatically. There\u2019s a possibility of a salary cap<\/strong> being introduced by the league, which would restrict how much teams can spend. If that happens, the Braves could use their remaining control over Acu\u00f1a to their advantage, delaying an extension to see if the market changes.<\/p>\n

If the league moves to a salary cap system, waiting might help the Braves secure Acu\u00f1a for a lower cost than if they were to offer him an extension today. On the other hand, if no cap is implemented, the Braves could end up paying top dollar<\/strong> for Acu\u00f1a, but still be locked into a favorable deal compared to what other players are earning.<\/p>\n

The Bottom Line: Pay the Piper<\/strong><\/p>\n

Whether the Braves wait for the CBA changes or act quickly, Acu\u00f1a\u2019s payday<\/strong> is coming. If the Braves are smart, they\u2019ll lock him up sooner rather than later<\/strong>, avoiding the risk of losing him or having to pay even more as the salary market continues to rise. Acu\u00f1a is a generational talent<\/strong>, and the Braves should prioritize keeping him in Atlanta for the long term.<\/p>\n

Given the current landscape of baseball contracts and the rise in salaries for star players, the Braves may find themselves having to pay a premium for one of the game\u2019s biggest superstars. And with Acu\u00f1a being only 25 years old, it\u2019s likely that he\u2019s just getting started.<\/p>\n

\"Atlanta<\/p>\n

The question isn\u2019t whether Acu\u00f1a deserves a record-breaking contract<\/strong> \u2014 it\u2019s how much longer the Braves can afford to wait before paying the piper<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

How Much Will the Braves Have to Pay Ronald Acu\u00f1a Jr. When His Contract Extension Comes? This discussion has been brewing for a while, but with recent… <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":142068,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-142067","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-mlb"],"yoast_head":"\n\ud83d\udd25 BREAKING INSIDE: Pay Acu\u00f1a Now or Later? Braves on the Brink as Contract Debate Threatens Franchise Future \u2014 Star\u2019s Value Soars With Every Mega Deal Across MLB! \ud83d\udc47 - NEWS USA<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=142067\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\ud83d\udd25 BREAKING INSIDE: Pay Acu\u00f1a Now or Later? Braves on the Brink as Contract Debate Threatens Franchise Future \u2014 Star\u2019s Value Soars With Every Mega Deal Across MLB! \ud83d\udc47 - NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"How Much Will the Braves Have to Pay Ronald Acu\u00f1a Jr. When His Contract Extension Comes? This discussion has been brewing for a while, but with recent...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=142067\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"NEWS USA\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-01-19T12:45:10+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/avtnew-7-3.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1080\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"MrThanh\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"MrThanh\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=142067\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=142067\",\"name\":\"\ud83d\udd25 BREAKING INSIDE: Pay Acu\u00f1a Now or Later? Braves on the Brink as Contract Debate Threatens Franchise Future \u2014 Star\u2019s Value Soars With Every Mega Deal Across MLB! \ud83d\udc47 - NEWS USA\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=142067#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=142067#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/avtnew-7-3.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-01-19T12:45:10+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-01-19T12:45:10+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/850fd1b8bcb1d322b7f0a04b3d2f18ec\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=142067#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=142067\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=142067#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/avtnew-7-3.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/avtnew-7-3.jpg\",\"width\":1080,\"height\":1080},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=142067#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"\ud83d\udd25 BREAKING INSIDE: Pay Acu\u00f1a Now or Later? Braves on the Brink as Contract Debate Threatens Franchise Future \u2014 Star\u2019s Value Soars With Every Mega Deal Across MLB! \ud83d\udc47\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/\",\"name\":\"NEWS USA\",\"description\":\"Your Daily Dose of Sports News and Updates\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/850fd1b8bcb1d322b7f0a04b3d2f18ec\",\"name\":\"MrThanh\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8c8f2d90ff2a21a61a5e6bc0619622a5021fc65353885d9d7b3db1c8c7c1ca8d?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8c8f2d90ff2a21a61a5e6bc0619622a5021fc65353885d9d7b3db1c8c7c1ca8d?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"MrThanh\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?author=6\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"\ud83d\udd25 BREAKING INSIDE: Pay Acu\u00f1a Now or Later? Braves on the Brink as Contract Debate Threatens Franchise Future \u2014 Star\u2019s Value Soars With Every Mega Deal Across MLB! \ud83d\udc47 - NEWS USA","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=142067","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"\ud83d\udd25 BREAKING INSIDE: Pay Acu\u00f1a Now or Later? Braves on the Brink as Contract Debate Threatens Franchise Future \u2014 Star\u2019s Value Soars With Every Mega Deal Across MLB! \ud83d\udc47 - NEWS USA","og_description":"How Much Will the Braves Have to Pay Ronald Acu\u00f1a Jr. When His Contract Extension Comes? This discussion has been brewing for a while, but with recent...","og_url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=142067","og_site_name":"NEWS USA","article_published_time":"2026-01-19T12:45:10+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1080,"height":1080,"url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/avtnew-7-3.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"MrThanh","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"MrThanh","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=142067","url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=142067","name":"\ud83d\udd25 BREAKING INSIDE: Pay Acu\u00f1a Now or Later? Braves on the Brink as Contract Debate Threatens Franchise Future \u2014 Star\u2019s Value Soars With Every Mega Deal Across MLB! \ud83d\udc47 - NEWS USA","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=142067#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=142067#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/avtnew-7-3.jpg","datePublished":"2026-01-19T12:45:10+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-19T12:45:10+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/850fd1b8bcb1d322b7f0a04b3d2f18ec"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=142067#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=142067"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=142067#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/avtnew-7-3.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/avtnew-7-3.jpg","width":1080,"height":1080},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?p=142067#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"\ud83d\udd25 BREAKING INSIDE: Pay Acu\u00f1a Now or Later? Braves on the Brink as Contract Debate Threatens Franchise Future \u2014 Star\u2019s Value Soars With Every Mega Deal Across MLB! \ud83d\udc47"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/","name":"NEWS USA","description":"Your Daily Dose of Sports News and Updates","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/850fd1b8bcb1d322b7f0a04b3d2f18ec","name":"MrThanh","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8c8f2d90ff2a21a61a5e6bc0619622a5021fc65353885d9d7b3db1c8c7c1ca8d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8c8f2d90ff2a21a61a5e6bc0619622a5021fc65353885d9d7b3db1c8c7c1ca8d?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"MrThanh"},"url":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/?author=6"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142067","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=142067"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142067\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":142069,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142067\/revisions\/142069"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/142068"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=142067"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=142067"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sportnews.azontree.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=142067"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}