Today, I’m continuing my updated free agent wist list, moving on to first base. There aren’t many options, and I think there’s only one guy in particular that Braves fans are interested in. He’s certainly at the top of my list, but the Braves have to keep all their options just in case something goes south in negotiations.
If you missed part one of this series, click the link below.
Freddie Freeman
Despite the lengthy negotiation, everybody seems to think Freddie Freeman will remain with the Braves, even the other teams that are pursuing him. But until he puts pen to paper, it is not a guarantee.
Anthony Rizzo
In the unlikely event the Braves do lose out on Freeman, Rizzo is the only free agent first baseman I am interested in. Kyle Schwarber is a bit too inconsistent for my taste, and he’s miserable defensively at the position.
Rizzo interests me, though. A few years ago, most people would have mentioned Freeman and Rizzo in the same breathe. Now, Freeman is on the verge of signing a deal worth north of $150 million, and Rizzo is most likely looking at a third of that. 2021 was one of the worst seasons of his career, as he hit the least amount of home runs since 2012 and posted just a .783 OPS. Still, Rizzo is set to enter his age-32 season and could easily be in for a bounce-back campaign. As far as value goes, there’s a decent chance he actually is a better value than Freeman, even if he isn’t the better player.
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