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Atlanta Braves: Arbitration Players Who Should be Cut, and Who Should be Extended

By Jake Mastroianni

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 09: Relief pitcher Arodys Vizcaino #38 of the Atlanta Braves points to short stop Dansby Swanson #7 of the Atlanta Braves to celebrate after the last out of the baseball game against Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on June 9, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 09: Relief pitcher Arodys Vizcaino #38 of the Atlanta Braves points to short stop Dansby Swanson #7 of the Atlanta Braves to celebrate after the last out of the baseball game against Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on June 9, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA, GA – OCTOBER 07: Kevin Gausman #45 of the Atlanta Braves reacts in the third inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during Game Three of the National League Division Series at SunTrust Park on October 7, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA – OCTOBER 07: Kevin Gausman #45 of the Atlanta Braves reacts in the third inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during Game Three of the National League Division Series at SunTrust Park on October 7, 2018 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Scott Cunningham/Getty Images) /

Last week we saw the Atlanta Braves complete one-year deals with all of their arbitration-eligible players. We look at who of that group could be cut or extended.

The Atlanta Braves had eight players this season who are arbitration eligible. That list was Kevin Gausman, Arodys Vizcaino, Mike Foltynewicz, Jonny Venters, Adam Duvall, Dan Winkler, Sam Freeman, and Charlie Culberson.

Gausman received the richest contract this offseason getting $9.35 million for the 2019 season. Folty got nearly $5.5 million, Viz was just under that at $4.8 million.

Duvall and Venters both got over $2 million, while the rest were under two.

The Atlanta Braves overall budget now sits at a little over $105 million, which is well below the league average and below the $130 million they spent last year.

That would leave fans to believe that the front office still has about $30 million to work with this offseason.

With that much money left this offseason, and not a lot of great fits on the open market, you could see the Braves doing another one-year deal with a high AAV like they did with Donaldson on another free agent — maybe like AJ Pollock.

That’s also plenty of money if Craig Kimbrel came off his high asking price and would take a three-year deal for around $14-$15 million a year.

Either way, now that we know the salaries of our arbitration players, the Braves’ budget is a lot clearer.

And they could create even more room in the budget this offseason by cutting a few of these arbitration players.

All of the Braves arbitration players received non-guaranteed contract, which means if they are cut during Spring Training they only received a prorated portion of the agreed-upon salary.

Let’s look at a couple of players who could be cut during Spring Training, and some arbitration players who could receive a contract to buy out the rest of their arbitration-eligible seasons.

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