Marcell Ozuna option picked up, Travis d’Arnaud option declined by Braves

ATLANTA — It turned out that Marcell Ozuna was the only Braves player who could assume his contract option would be exercised.

Along with announcing Ozuna’s $16 million option had been picked up on Monday, the Braves made the unexpected revelation that they had declined Travis d’Arnaud’s $8 million option. Luke Jackson’s $7 million option was also declined.

The Braves haven’t closed the door on re-signing d’Arnaud at some point this winter. But they weren’t currently in position to commit to paying him $8 million for next season. So, the veteran now becomes one of the most attractive catchers available in this year’s free-agent market.

One day after the Braves were eliminated by the Padres in the Wild Card Series, president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos indicated each of the team’s four players with an option was in position to return. It was realized he didn’t mean to include Jackson in this group. But the only initial surprise was the team might exercise Aaron Bummer’s $7.25 million option.

Once Bummer’s contract was finalized, there was at least reason to wonder if d’Arnaud might also be given a multiyear contract that would have included a salary of less than $8 million for next season. Not exercising his option certainly wasn’t expected.

d’Arnaud has been a clubhouse leader since coming to Atlanta before the 2020 season. The 35-year-old catcher hit .238 with 15 home runs and a .738 OPS in 99 games this past season. He had to carry the load while projected primary catcher Sean Murphy missed the season’s first two months with an oblique strain. But d’Arnaud continued to share the catching role while Murphy produced a disappointing .636 OPS over the remainder of the season.

Coincidently, one of the reasons the Braves need to create some payroll flexibility for 2025 is the fact that Murphy’s salary will rise from $9 million to $15 million. Spencer Strider’s salary rises from $1 million to $4 million. Chris Sale’s $16 million salary for the ’24 season was essentially paid for by the Red Sox. But he will cost $22 million in ’25.

Murphy could certainly bounce back and be the productive offensive performer he was during the first half of his 2023 All-Star season. But even as he aged, d’Arnaud provided the Braves the insurance they won’t have next year.

Chadwick Tromp has shown he can be a serviceable backup catcher, and Drake Baldwin’s stock certainly rose as the Braves’ No. 5 prospect produced a .891 OPS over 334 plate appearances at the Triple-A level this year. But there remains some uncertainty about how Baldwin could compete both offensively and defensively at the big league level.

Anthopoulos expressed the value of experience when asked about Baldwin the day after his team’s season ended.

“There’s so much thrown at these guys with the game planning and the game calling and all that beyond the game offensively,” Anthopoulos said. “I don’t think you ever go wrong at that position getting more time to develop.”

Regardless of who serves as Murphy’s backup, the Braves’ lineup should once again benefit from Ozuna, who has been one of the game’s top offensive performers, while belting 79 homers and constructing a .916 OPS over the past two seasons. The 33-year-old slugger hit .302 with 39 home runs and a .924 OPS this year.

Jackson was acquired from the Giants at the Trade Deadline for his second tour of duty with the Braves. The 33-year-old reliever had a 4.50 ERA in 18 innings with Atlanta.