Braves Make Logical Decision on Key Contracts including Ozuna, d'Arnaud

It was an easy decision for the Atlanta Braves to make with these key members of the 2024 team

The Atlanta Braves are keeping key names around and at bargain-level rates | Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Atlanta Braves have gone straight to work locking down key pieces for 2025. They are exercising team options for Marcell Ozuna ($16 million), Travis d’Arnaud ($8 million) and Aaron Bummer ($7.25 million).

The Braves plan to exercise the options for Ozuna ($16M), Bummer ($7.25M) and d'Arnaud ($8M).
— Mark Bowman (@mlbbowman) October 4, 2024

Based on performance last season, these were all easy decisions to make.

Ozuna was the top bat for the Braves in 2024. He batted .302 with a .925 OPS, 39 home runs and 105 RBIs. He hit nearly 40 bombs despite a three-week-long homer drought. His option is the final year of the contract he signed ahead of the 2021 season.

It’s somewhat of a steal. According to Spotrac, he could get north of $19 million on the open market. There’s usually a team willing to overpay too. The Braves get great value here.

The same goes for d’Arnaud. He was streaky at the plate this season, but he delivered. That walk-off home run during the playoff push left a big impression on everyone. Even at 35 years old, Spotrac projects he could get $13.1 million on the open market.

It’s hard to get a good defensive catcher that is reliable at the plate. It’s not as bad as pitchers, obviously, but a hitting catcher comes at a premium. The Braves somehow wind up with a massive discount.

Aaron Bummer’s option is a little more questionable. He had a good season, finishing with a 3.58 ERA, a 2.23 FIP and a 116 ERA+. However, $7.25 million is arguably pricey for a reliever. But it can be cheap when someone is a consistently good reliever.

Apart from a dreadful 2023, Bummer has shown to be a reliable arm, and the Braves are choosing to keep that reliability on the roster. When guys like Josh Hader made $19 million or Edwin Diaz, who made over $20 million, it looks even more like a reasonable decision They had a reliable bullpen in 2024. There’s no reason to risk it.