Atlanta Braves Look For Sustainability With So Many Key Players Signed Long-Term

Brian Snitker has as much job security as any manager in Major League Baseball.

He led the Atlanta Braves to an unlikely World Series title last season. They upset the Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Dodgers and Houston Astros on their way to their first title since 1995.

This season, the Braves are in the hunt for a fifth consecutive National League East title. They are three games behind the first-place New York Mets in the division race and have a commanding nine-game lead over the Philadelphia Phillies for the first NL wild card.

The Braves will almost certainly reach the postseason in 2022. General manager Alex Anthopoulos is doing his part to make sure Snitker will have contending teams well into the future.

That would make any manager feel a sense of security.

When the Braves signed rookie center fielder Michael Harris II to an eight-year, $72-million contract earlier this month, he became the fifth member of the lineup to be locked into a long-term deal.

Harris joins first baseman Matt Olson, second baseman Ozzie Albies, third baseman Austin Riley and right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. The Braves are also hopeful of signing shortstop Dansby Swanson to a multi-year contract before he can become a free agent in November.

Olson signed an eight-year, $168-million contract in March after being acquired from the Oakland Athletics in a trade. Third baseman Austin Riley agreed to a 10-year, $212-millon deal on Aug. 1.

Acuna is in the fourth year of an eight-year, $100-million contract that includes team options for 2027 and 2028. Albies is four seasons into a seven-year, $35-million contract that has team options for 2025 and 2026.

While nothing is ever certain in baseball, Snitker feels awfully good about how his club sets up for the future.

“I think it’s awesome not only for me as the manager but the entire organization,” Snitker said. “Alex identifies these intangible, high-character guys that we’re getting. And they all are. They’re great players and great people and to be able to sign them all and everybody knows they’re going to be here is special.

“It’s a nice feeling as a team, as an organization and for Braves Nation just to know they’re going to have these guys around for a while. They are a tight-knit group that enjoys playing together. It’s pretty good that you can get a group like this together then keep them together. We’re very fortunate as an organization to be in this position.”

The player who might be the most intriguing is Harris. He is just 21 years old and made his major league debut May 28.

Harris is hitting .298/.343/.517 with 13 home runs and 15 stolen bases in 82 games. He has also contributed six defensive runs saved.

While Harris’ statistics are eyepopping, Snitker is even more impressed with his maturity.

“He’s had some at-bats that did not go quite so well and maybe he chased some pitches outside the strike zone, but he always has the ability to put it behind him,”

Snitker said. “I don’t see him getting frustrated with himself. He’s always hanging in there, always adjusting. You don’t always see that with a young player in his first year in the big leagues. It’s impressive.”

Just part of an impressive array of young talent that is under contract to the Braves for years to come. That has the organization dreaming of multiple championships for a city starved for titles.

The Braves’ two World Series are all Atlanta teams have ever won in the four major North American professional sports leagues. The NFL’s Falcons and NBA’s Hawks are still looking for their first crowns.

“The No. 1 thing I worry about is being sustainable,” Anthopoulos told reporters after the Harris signing. “When I first got to Atlanta, I listened to talk radio and tried to get a feel for the city, the market. I remember seeing Mercedes-Benz (Stadium, home of the Falcons) half empty midway through a season and the Atlanta Falcons were playing in the Super Bowl two years earlier. It was eye-opening to me. I don’t want us to ever be in that position.”