Braves rework Reynaldo López’s contract to benefit both sides
After Reynaldo López turned in an outstanding season in which he exceeded expectations, the Braves reworked his contract – including guaranteeing an extra year.
López’s new three-year deal will pay him $30 million over the next three seasons, beginning in 2025. He will make $8 million next season, $14 million in 2026 and $8 million in 2027.
In November 2023, López signed a three-year, $30 million contract with the Braves. It included an $8 million team option in 2027.
So the Braves really just added an extra year while tinkering with the details.
Here’s how it works:
- López gets $8 million guaranteed in 2027 instead of having a club option tied to that season. This is a better situation for him, as it removes any doubt for that year. He’ll earn the $8 million regardless of performance, a potential injury or some other unforeseen circumstance.
- Instead of paying López $11 million in 2025 and $11 million in 2026 – per the terms of his original deal – the Braves will give him $8 million next season and then $14 million in 2026. Really, the Braves simply are freeing $3 million because they’re still paying López $22 million over the next two seasons. They’re just doing it a different way.
- In the deal he signed last year, López was guaranteed $30 million. And now, with this news, he’ll earn $34 million over four seasons with the Braves.
In summation, this arrangement works for both sides. The Braves gain payroll flexibility, which they can use this offseason. López earns more money and an extra season on his deal.
The Braves did something similar with left-handed reliever Aaron Bummer. Instead of exercising their club option on Bummer and paying him $7.25 million in 2025, they gave him a two-year deal. In it, he’ll make $3.5 million in 2025, then $9.5 million in 2026.
With these moves, the Braves are saving money that they would’ve had to pay in 2025. It could help them address other needs this offseason.
And in López’s case, the Braves simply extended his contract. He no longer has the option year at the end of his deal.
Braves president of baseball operations and general manager Alex Anthopoulos has added payroll flexibility in recent days. On Thursday, he traded Jorge Soler, who was due $13 million in 2025 and $13 million in 2026. He then saved almost $4 million on Bummer for 2025, if you take the lefty’s option being worth $7.25 million. He’ll pay López $3 million less than expected next season because of this new contract.
Anthopoulos has freed around $20 million with these moves, if simply using that raw math. That doesn’t include perhaps losing Charlie Morton, who made $20 million in 2024. Max Fried, now a free agent, is projected to earn over $20 million per year wherever he signs.
A note on that approximate $20 million saved: That number goes down if the Braves keep right-hander Griffin Canning, who they acquired for Soler. Canning is projected to make around $5 million in arbitration, according to MLB Trade Rumors, which provides respected arbitration predictions. But the Braves could non-tender Canning.
The Braves might have some room to make a couple of impactful moves this offseason. At the very least, Anthopoulos has given himself flexibility.
In his first season with the Braves, López posted a 1.99 ERA over 26 games – 25 of them starts. This was the lowest ERA for any pitcher who logged at least 135 innings in 2024.
López was a reliever for a few seasons before the Braves signed him with the belief he could start. They were correct. He validated their thinking with a wonderful season.
And if all goes well, he’ll be in a Braves uniform for at least four years.
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