If everyone proceeds as expected, the shortstop class of free agents next offseason could be incredibly robust.
Might Dansby Swanson become part of it?
Swanson has been a fixture at shortstop for the Braves since August of 2016, and while he doesn’t carry the same impact as someone like Carlos Correa, he’s a beyond serviceable option at a premier position.
But he’ll be a free agent this offseason, and the fact that an extension didn’t get done before the season suggests he very well might go to market in November – especially given his comments about not negotiating a contract in-season.
And judging from comments made by MLB insider Ken Rosenthal on "The Athletic Baseball Show" podcast, any dialogue the two sides might have had didn’t seem to get far.
“I don’t believe there are current negotiations, I don’t believe even there were negotiations before Opening Day in a real serious manner,” Rosenthal said in response to a listener’s question. “You raise a fair point: Swanson has the same representatives as Freddie Freeman, the Excel Sports Management Group. And as we all know, it didn’t go all that well between Excel and the Atlanta Braves regarding Freddie Freeman. …
“In any case, Swanson is different than Freddie Freeman, quite clearly. He is not a homegrown player, although they did acquire him early in his career in a trade with the Diamondbacks. He is not as good a player as Freddie Freeman.
“There are going to be other free-agent shortstops available, one might be Carlos Correa, a player who at least the Braves discussed at some point during the offseason. Another could be Trea Turner, he is eligible for free agency, did not receive an offer from the Dodgers before the season started. And finally, Xander Bogaerts, who might not be a shortstop long-term, his defensive metrics have not been good in recent years. It’s as simple as that. But the Braves will have choices if they want to go away from Swanson.”
The Correa point isn’t to be forgotten. Alex Anthopoulos and the Braves made clear this offseason that they aren’t afraid to swing for the fences for who they believe is the right player, even if it means letting someone who has been around for a while walk.
If the Braves want to upgrade at shortstop, there most certainly are going to be options. The decision more so is do the Braves want to shell out a ton of money to make someone like Turner or Correa one of the highest-paid players at their position, or go a tier down and stick with Swanson at a more cost-effective number.
Sounds like we won’t learn that answer until next offseason.
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