Braves Urged to Lock Up Ronald Acuna Jr. With $300M Deal After Latest Heroics
The Atlanta Braves have a lot of work to do if they're going to turn their season around, but the return of superstar outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. has been a great start.
Since coming back from an ACL injury a month ago, the former Most Valuable Player Award winner has slashed .396/.500/.713 with nine homers in 101 at-bats. Facing questions about how he might perform after his second significant knee injury, Acuna has answered them emphatically.
And one writer believes it could push the Braves to revisit his contract.
"The 27-year-old has not only been the Braves best player, but also the best player in baseball," Mitchell Barbee wrote for FanSided. "While Acuna Jr. still has three years remaining on his deal after the 2025 season, Alex Anthopoulos and the Braves front office need to act now if they want to keep the slugger in a Braves uniform for life."
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 07: Ronald Acuña Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves looks on from the on-deck circle against the San Francisco Giants in the top of the third inning of a major...
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 07: Ronald Acuña Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves looks on from the on-deck circle against the San Francisco Giants in the top of the third inning of a major league baseball game at Oracle Park on June 07, 2025 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) More
Henderson/Getty
Acuna signed an eight-year, $100 million extension with the Braves, and he'd likely be a steal at just $17 million per season in the remaining two years of that contract, with two more $17 million club options beyond. But as he proves he is still a franchise player after his latest return from injury, the Braves might feel they have some valuable leverage to lock him into a longer deal now.
To that end, Barbee urged that the Braves can extend the outfielder by upping his contract to $300 million over 12 years.
"Instead of waiting out Acuna's contract to offer him an extension, the Braves could instead offer to renegotiate the club options, as well as the final guaranteed option," he wrote. "This way, the Braves could extend their superstar for life with an average annual value (AAV) they've shown they're comfortable with."
As the outfielder looks better than ever in his return, the team has a chance to sign him for life with some leverage that they might never see again.
More MLB: Shohei Ohtani Makes Disappointing Playing Decision After Pitching Return
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