The Braves announced they’ve signed catcher Travis d’Arnaud to a one-year, $8MM deal covering the 2024 season. The contract also contains an $8MM club option for the ’25 season with no buyout. d’Arnaud is represented by Wasserman.
Atlanta controlled d’Arnaud on an $8MM team option for 2024. They’ll preemptively trigger that provision. In exchange, the veteran backstop gives the team a matching option for the following year. It’s familiar territory for an Atlanta organization that has been very aggressive about signing players to extensions.
It is also a comfortable spot for d’Arnaud himself. He’s now signed a trio of contracts with the Braves over the past half-decade. He first agreed on a two-year, $16MM deal in free agency over the 2019-20 offseason. Midway through the ’21 season, he re-upped on a matching $16MM contract that contained the ’24 option. He’s now locked in for a fifth campaign at Truist Park.
Now 34, d’Arnaud has been an effective backstop throughout his time in the organization. He hit .266/.324/.462 over his first three seasons as a Brave. Catching wasn’t a need last winter, but the Atlanta front office seized on the opportunity to add a star catcher on the trade market. Atlanta acquired and promptly extended Sean Murphy, pushing d’Arnaud into a reserve role.
While he’s overqualified for a #2 catching position, the former All-Star has taken his new role in stride. d’Arnaud carries a .265/.338/.478 line with eight home runs through 151 trips to the plate on the season. He’s walking at a personal-high 9.3% clip and has maintained his previous contact and power production on a rate basis. d’Arnaud has gotten 27 starts behind the plate compared to Murphy’s 60 nods.
Despite the diminished role, he’s clearly happy in Atlanta. He’ll reprise his role as Murphy’s backup for at least one more season and potentially an additional year beyond that. d’Arnaud will soon surpass the 10-year MLB service threshold. The ’24 campaign will be his fifth in Atlanta. If the Braves keep him around for 2025, he’d have automatic no-trade rights that season as a 10-and-5 player (10 years of service, the past five of which have come for the same team) under the collective bargaining agreement.
That’s a possible longer-term consideration. For now, the move solidifies the catching position with a high-quality backup for a second year. Atlanta’s 2024 payroll commitments now sit around $138MM, as estimated by Roster Resource. Their projected luxury tax number is a bit under $159MM. The Braves opened this season with a franchise-record payroll estimated by Cot’s Baseball Contracts around $203MM.
With d’Arnaud officially off the board, the upcoming free agent catching class takes another hit. Unlike last year, where Willson Contreras was a clear candidate for a long-term deal, next winter’s group mostly consists of veteran depth types. Tom Murphy, Yasmani Grandal, Austin Hedges and Víctor Caratini are among the top names available. The Cubs hold a $6MM club option on Yan Gomes as well.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.
What does this mean for Sean Murphy?
Nothing, just means they know who they’re catching duo is next year.
Obviously they are waving the white flag on that trade with the A’s. I bet they wish they had Kyle Muller back!
Someone needs to step in and prevent the A’s from trading with the Braves.
If there was a MONEYBALL 2, would AA be the Indians’ GM Chris Antonetti character from the first one?
A’s have been so awful at trades for like 15 years now. Some transactions hit and look good for Oakland but that’s few and far between. Those Donaldson, rich harden, Sean Murphy, Carlos gonz, Tim hudson trades looks so bad right now. Just incompetent front office.
Muller is in AA and struggling…
Muller is in AAA and struggling…
It means Murphy will still have a good backup.
d’Arnaud would be a 2nd C/DH option – as Ozuna has only 1 more guaranteed year and Rosario could be gone ($8M option), giving more ABs to d’Arnaud, who when healthy is an exceptional backup C and DH option. It gives them options, as no team will have only 1 capable C on roster, and gets much sleep at night.
This is insurance for Murphy.
D’Arnaud has been a good deal for the Braves , but he’s no threat to supplant Murphy. It just gives the Braves 2 strong hitting catchers and D’ Arnaud will probably see many games at DH.
Just means he’ll continue to have an awesome backup
Nothing. d’Arnaud will continue to serve as his backup with both getting DH AB’s as well
It doesn’t mean anthing for Sean Murphy. This extension is just the Braves doing what they always do, put winning and culture above personalities and egos.
As a Tigers fan, these types of deals always have me wondering what the heck is the secret sauce in Atlanta? After all these years and all the turnover in the organization, they always seem to be relevant and building special teams.
I’d love to see Ohtani wind up in a Braves uniform and be on a franchise that would give us the best chance to see him in the post season.
The Braves will only get Ohtani if they move for a third time and become the California Braves.
Or if they offer him the most money
and neither one of those is happening
AA for President. Balanced budget 2024
> Balanced budget 2024
National debt? Who cares about that! Let’s just print more money.
Murphy/d’Arnaud 2024
I recommend you check out the trillion dollar coin power of the mint if you haven’t heard of it. NPR did a fascinating segment.
Are you referring to this?
npr.org/2023/01/27/1152140597/if-the-u-s-cant-borr…
Yes.
Dang, basically a 2 year/$16M deal with no buyout – if exercising the option. Considering Rosario may not return ($8M option) and Ozuna has only 1 more guaranteed year (DH) – he could get more ABs over those 2 years to preserve him (and Murphy).
Seems like a lot for a backup but they are gonna have to start losing more games before I can legitimately question what they are doing.
> Seems like a lot for a backup
***insurance
Murphy goes on the IL, d’Arnaud can catch.
Yes if their MVP candidate catcher gets hurt they are covered.
Looking at the Braves team their offense is amazing. Clearly best in the league. They could use a pitcher or 2.
When you’ve got Murphy locked in for 6 years with an AAV of 12 million it gives you room for luxuries like Travis who’s a clubhouse leader and can fill multiple positions in the batting order
Not to mention we are likely to be paying double that for a back up catcher a year from now.
> They could use a pitcher or 2.
Pitchers, yes. They need:
• a healthy Max Fried
• one lefty reliever
• a shutdown righty reliever who could close
Raisel Iglesias has been better of late but he is difficult to watch.
They need 2 SP even if Fried comes back.
> They need 2 SP even if Fried comes back.
Why, are you on the phone with Tommy? Hang that phone up!
They have: Eider, Strider, Morton
Add: Fried, maybe Wright (or not)
And then you want two MORE SPs? Unless Manchild changed a rule to make all playoff series 12 games, you don’t go six strong in the playoffs. Why do they need 2 more?
And they have Soroka, Shuster, Dodd and AJ Smith-Shawver for back ups if Its needed. Braves DO need some Relievers.
Because Elder is cooked and nobody knows if Wright is coming back this season.
Yeah because those guys have definitely proven to be major leaguers.
I think they could use 1 mode starter. Perhaps not a top of the rotation guy but someone else. And definitely 1 more reliever.
Must be nice to have such a stacked team.
Elder made the all star team this year while he was leading the league in ERA. Not cooked.
14 earned runs over last 6 innings isn’t say do nothing at the trade deadline.
They ve been spot starting the 5th spot as is. Fried and Wright have missed significant time. Elder is already at career high IP and Strider will b there to in a few weeks. They definitely need 1 starter and a 2nd might not hurt. Or they could always try stretching McHugh out see how he would fare starting again. If any team can work through it though I think it would b the Braves.
but that the same time they are taxing a bullpen. They need some fresh arms to throw some quality innings.
There’s this thing called the regular season, and at least one pitcher always seems to be injured.
Still have almost a 10 game lead, which will afford him time to figure it out, unlike your crap team.
Wow. Never said the Braves were going to not win the division. I’m really sure they have bigger goals than that. I guess you would be ok with them being loaded with talent and only winning one World Series like they did in the nineties.
When you’ve got Murphy locked into a 6 year deal with an AAV of 12 million you can afford to splurge a little for depth like Travis that can fill multiple spots in the lineup.
It’s a smart move by a smart organization. d’Arnaud is more than a backup catcher. Look at the MLB carousel of catchers this year; you have an above average catcher on your roster, you lock him up!
The extension increases his trade value.
Atlanta’s GM came out last night and specifically said “Maybe this means people will stop trying to trade him” making fun of the reporters that have been. He’s one of the clubhouse leaders and not going anywhere.
$8 million isn’t really that much these days. It’s a bargain for d’Arnaud.
For a lot of teams $8M for a backup catcher could b tough to do. ATL has gotten so many other bargains due to youth and early extensions it gives them a ton of leeway and allows them such luxuries. Amazing what they re doing there right now.
Good point, the Braves have their DH for possibly two more seasons, and for a pretty modest price point too.
Rosario’s option is 9 mil. If he hits 25 or so HR I think they’ll pick it up and trade him. Maybe keep him as the 4th outfielder. Love the dude but they need more defensively than he offers. If they didn’t have Ozuna at DH Rosario would be quite valuable. But admittedly the hitting gets less noticed on a team of great hitters. 15 HR is pretty solid.
*$9M, my mistake. Got $8M on the brain. Good plan on signing and trading him. There’s a few teams that would gladly sacrifice that D for that O.
The Braves showed a lot of patience with Rosario. He was terrible earlier this year and last year. I guess the surgery fixed the problem with his right eye.
If you have a player like Rosario who is quite streaky you have to stick with them or you end up with negative production. Its risky and it’s easy to get impatient. I think it was largely because the peripherals were good all year. He was hitting the ball hard a lot.
Hemlock- what are you talking about? Maybe you didn’t watch the Braves last season but I remember how much of a Boss Rosario was when he won the NLCS MVP award. He had a cycle last season. Should have had 2. I don’t understand why you put “terrible”? Maybe you don’t know what that word means?
Psst. That was 2 seasons ago. 😉
There isnt a buy out in his contract. hes getting that money either way.
You mean Rosario? It’s a team option.
Yes. They cannot buy him out of that contract. There is no buy out $$$ built into the contract. the Braves are on the hook for 9 mil for Rosario next year.
No, they aren’t. The Braves have an option on Rosario for 2024, with no buyout. No buyout means they can decline the option and don’t have to pay anything.
Why aren’t all headlines written in the vague, clickbait manner that the website sometimes uses?
“Catcher who plays for the Braves signs a contract extension.”
Exciting Dollars spent by National League Team!
What are we yelling about?!?
Seems like a guy just content to sit back and not put pressure on himself to be good. He is a top 15 catcher in the league and should be starting somewhere. It is bad for the league as a whole to have someone this talented trapped as a back up.
Almost every team has a ~60/40 C split in the post-Yadi era. And those that don’t, will be scrounging for backup retreads when their primary option is hurt.
D’Arnaud has had a career interrupted by injuries. He’s 34 y/o and just suffered his 3rd concussion — neither of those sounds like a primary C on any team catching 50-60% of games anymore. He’s shown that when he’s healthy, he hits on par with most teams’s DH. D’Arnaud is smart in that he sees the opportunity to extend his career while getting his best shot to win, and get paid, while maybe sacrificing some dollars in present-day winnings possibly playing for a bad team (and possibly shortening his career).
That’s exactly why the Braves are paying $8 million a year to keep him.
“Trapped as a backup”….This must be terrible for D’Arnaud, all those World Series and playoffs checks to cash and World Series victory parades are such a hassle, right?
He’s a 34 year old borderline starter who spent the first half of his pro career as an injury riddled former top prospect. He’s found a great role and good for him. It’s not like he’s a 23 year old elite player blocked from starting full time.
2023 MLB Network’s Top 10 Catchers lists Travis d’Arnaud as # 7.
You are rarely trapped at catcher, especially with the universal DH. Trying to keep one catcher healthy is hard enough. He likes it in Atlanta and he likes that the team is very good. I think if it were the postseason you would see him in the lineup more frequently. They simply don’t want to sit Ozuna and interfere with his comeback. Now if Ozuna is good the rest of the year maybe you let Rosario go and get Ozuna to focus on defense more to open up DH at bats but it was hard enough to get him to start hitting. D’arnaud is getting older and has an extensive injury history. It may be in his best interest to get 250 at bats per year. He’s rarely ever been a 400 at bat kind of guy anyway.
It’s cost certainty at a position for the Braves. Nothing wrong with hoarding talent. If they pivot next season, TD is tradeable if they eat some money.
> It is bad for the league as a whole to
> have someone this talented
> trapped as a back up.
IT’S A TRAP!!
Have you given any consideration to the idea that maybe Travis is happy in Atlanta and wants to stay?
Brilliant timing. It’s about “the following year” for sure, but more important an investment for continued success of the team this year. Got two quality people working them tools of ignore that have monetary security which I believe gives them peace of mind to enjoy showing up to play everyday. Braves got championship on their minds in 23!
“Content to sit back and not put pressure on himself to be good?” Where does Mildew come up with these gems? He’s got me blocked so I had to respond to his nonsense down here.
An embarrassment of riches. They should be forced to take on other teams bad players just to keep it competitive. Congrats Braves fans.
Respect for the Braves strategy of locking the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle for the future down to the valuable backups. I’m so jealous and wished that some of the young and rising price talent of the Orioles were signing extensions.
As a Cardinals fan I’ve always admired the Braves and their winning culture (having watched my fair share of Braves games on WTBS in the 80s while growing up in rural Missouri). . Obviously all the deals many of the players have signed to stay and play in Atlanta means ownership is doing something very, very special there. Usually I roll my eyes when I hear fans say “team before ego” but in Atlanta that really is the case.
Nicely done.
Dude. You’re a Cardinals fan. You have nothing to hang your head over. Fantastic record of success.
D’Arnaud is the best catcher in baseball whose best days are behind him. Follow me? He’s the ideal veteran #2 and can also be available to work with any of the Gwinnett pitching kid triad should any of them be called up.
Just cool to see a catcher, let alone a major leaguer, find a diminished role and wisely embrace it. He found the sweet spot, performing a part-time role, hitting way above average for the position, and just being ready when called upon. Seems the definition of great teammate.
D’Arnaud has a solid spot on the lolmets list of “Players We Threw Away Because,” just a few slots under Justin Turner.
Christ, I hate this team. Steve Cohen is running it the way Jeff Wilpon would have, had Bernie Madoff been born a mackerel.
I don’t know how you can hate Cohen after enduring the Wilpons. You can blame Eppler and Buck.
If I was a player, I would want to play in ATL. !
TDA is going to be a great MLB manager one day
Yes, yesss butt-head, imagine a postseason series between the Braves and the Cards with Yadi at the helm…strattegy on display and players giving all out for their mgrs. and team
I enjoy how his hair always sticks up out of his helmet holes like Alfalfa from the little stooges. Hyped he’s staying.
Yeah, he always has that one tuft.
Really glad he is staying. Very underappreciated part of the team these last few years. Just a solid professional.
He’ll be better than Girardi, and i’d love to see strattegy in a game between the Braves and the Cardinals with Yadi at the helm…
My wife saw on Facebook the mlbtr feed. Saw headline “ Braves extend Travis D’Arnaud” she turned to me … “ honey , do u have to be a ball player to get that done?”
I hope you didn’t get short with her in response.
Lol
nice
This is genius, bravo
He probably could have started somewhere and he was probably the best FA catcher this upcoming off-season (although Murphy is killing it in Seattle) but as someone who has had a myriad of injuries in his career he might not even want to be a full-time Catcher. He gets to stay on a team that should be very competitive next year and team he was won a chip with. He knows he will also get to spend at least 30% of games behind the plate and also make some starts as a DH. Another positive that doesn’t get mentioned a lot when people sign extensions is that he doesn’t have to uproot his families life to go to a different city. When I was a child we moved around a lot because my father was in the military and it’s hard switching Schools so much. I’m happy for the Braves and d’Arnaud, couldn’t happen to a better guy!