Right now there is a lot of talk about what the Atlanta Braves should do about Ronald Acuña Jr. 's contract situation. A lot of reporters, analysts, and insiders are of the opinion that the Braves should give Acuña Jr. another contract extension right now before the season starts. However, earlier today The Morning Shift explained why they think the uncertainty around Atlanta’s TV deal could be getting in the way of the Braves giving their star right fielder an extension right now.
“We still don’t even know like how we’re consuming their content the entire year, and I think that there is, as much as I keep reading that there’s not a component here, I think this network or channel or whatever else is going on with the Braves I think is going to have a huge economic impact over the next couple of years with how much money they’re going to spend. I don’t think they want to do these things at the same time. I don’t think they want to launch a TV network and pay Ronald Acuña $500 million-dollars. I think one has got to come before the other and I think in their mind it probably needs to be the network first.” Mike Johnson said
Mike finished his thought by saying “I just think that the Braves at the top feel like there’s way too many moving parts with this team, and with rebuilding, or doing a network and everything else to say okay we’re going to sign off on a $500 million-dollar bottle”
Acuña Jr. is entering the final guaranteed year of the eight-year, $100 million-dollar contract extension he signed with Atlanta back in 2019. The Braves do however hold club options for the 2027 and 2028 seasons, valued at $17 million each, so Atlanta does have time, and if their plans are indeed to launch their own TV network and that investment is the reason they’re waiting to give the 2023 NL MVP a contract extension the Braves may need to use a good portion of that TV money they get to pay Ronald Acuña Jr. if he stays healthy and produces at the MVP level everyone has seen him produce at before.