There isn’t a better atmosphere in baseball than The Battery. The team is on pace to shatter their record for attendance at Truist Park as Braves Country packs out the stadium day in and day out.
Truist is averaging more than 37,000 fans per game, which is the most a Braves stadium has averaged since the turn of the century. This is the third-highest average league-wide, behind the Cardinals and Dodgers. However, considering how much larger of a metropolitan area Los Angeles is than Atlanta, the Braves are killing it.
The Battery has become the hottest spot in town for sports fans during the summer months, and fans can certainly expect a substantial rise in payroll next year. Given Atlanta’s number of pending free agents, Alex Anthopoulos will be a major player in free agency.
The Braves will have to decide on a couple of team options in Charlie Morton and Will Smith after the season. The former is a toss-up, based on how he feels given his age, but the latter is sure to be bought out for $1 million. If both part ways with the Braves — obviously for different reasons — that’s $33 million off the books for next season.
Atlanta also has a slew of players set to hit free agency this winter — Kenley Jansen, Dansby Swanson, and Adam Duvall. Those three combine to make around $36 million, which brings the total figure to a potential $73 million coming off the books in the winter.
With Liberty Media raking in more money than ever thanks to record attendance numbers and The Battery, Braves Country can fully expect AA to be a big spender come free agency this offseason. The Hot Stove will be one for the ages.
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