MLB Analysts Ponder If Long-Term Contracts Altered Atlanta Braves

The Atlanta Braves have a core of players locked up for some time, and it could be in tamdem with a shift in the culture of the team

An unwanted culture change could be unfolding | Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Braves have a core of players locked up for the forseaable future. It's job security for the duration of their prime years.

MLB insider Ken Rosenthal rose the question of if the Braves "created too comfortable an environment by awarding so many players extensions."

This was a single sentence in his article in The Athletic, but it was given further discussion when he was on Foul Territory. Rosenthal didn't exactly know if this was the case, but he sees it as a fair question. While locking up talent was viewed as a smart move for Alex Anthopoulos, the flip side of that is not every contract will work out.

Rosenthal said that Michael Harris II' contract is questionable along with Spencer Strider's extention.

"Until he gets back to where he was, you wonder why they did that so soon," Rosenthal said of Strider's contract.

Strider is under contract until 2028 with a club option for 2029. He gets a significant pay bump starting next season, going from $8 million in 2025 to $20 million in 2026. Future performance could make this a steal or a major overpay. Time will tell.

So far, he's a few starts back from UCL surgery recovery and a hamstring injury. He's 0-4 with a 5.68 ERA. It's been shaky. He should get the chance to rebound becuase he's coming off injuries, but in the long term, there is a point to be made.

Rosenthal speculates that the extensions along with other factors, such as notable departures from the roster, have changed the culture and not for the better.

"Maybe they need a kick in the rear in some fashion," he said.

Two losing streaks of six or more games this season and being nine games under .500 could be what wakes them up. It might take an entire down season that totally embarrases them to do that. We're not going to find out what wakes them up until we see the change happen.

Austin Riley, Matt Olson and Sean Murphy are three other notable extensions that last until the end of the decade or beyond.