Braves Acuña Dubbed Trade Proof for One Logical Reason

It's already obvious that the Atlanta Braves star isn't going anywhere any time soon, and an obvious reason goes along with it

There is a good reason Acuña isn't going anywhere soon | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Pitchers and catchers haven’t even reported yet, and trade deadline speculation has already begun. However, when it comes down to whether Atlanta Braves right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. could be on the move, you can forget. 

Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly mentioned Acuña in his latest way-too-early predictions. One of them is that right-handed impact hitters will be hard to find. One of those reasons that will contribute to that is that Acuña has too much team-friendly control to give up. 

“Ronald Acuña Jr. could technically become a free agent after the 2026 season, but the Atlanta Braves have laughably team-friendly $17 million club options on him for 2027 and 2028, so he's not going anywhere,” Kelly wrote. 

What happens next for the Atlanta Braves? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Braves news delivered to your inbox daily!

Yeah, that sounds about right. You have a chance to keep one of the best players in baseball, when healthy, locked down for a few more years. It’s pretty easy to stand pat.

Now, that being said, I’ve discussed Acuña’s future with the Braves. It would be wise to get a move on when it comes to giving him his overdue payday. Salaries are shooting up into the stratosphere, and the longer they wait, the more he’s going to cost.

It’s not unreasonable to say that Acuña could make over $70 million per season based on where salaries are going. That being said, another team will gladly take on his remaining control and pay him this extremely friendly salary. There is no reason to let someone else have him on the cheap for the next three seasons. 

The Braves could certainly get a lot out of Acuña in a trade, but they would prefer to keep him around. Some players are worth more than the potential haul they may come with. 

There is a good chance that this superstar’s future will be decided in free agency, which will come after the 2028 season, after the Braves pick up two more club options after 2026. 

However, it is certainly safe to say that his departure is not months away. Come the post-trade deadline phase of the season, Acuña is going to be around. If anything, keeping him around buys them time to figure out how to keep him around long-term. Trading him immediately ends any plans. 

This isn’t going to stop being a talking point as long as Acuña has a potential year in which his control can end. So, buckle up. We’ll be circling back to this again at some point.