Reynaldo López, Aaron Bummer sign new contracts with Braves

ATLANTA — Reynaldo López and Aaron Bummer gained more guaranteed dollars as the Braves created more financial flexibility for the 2025 season by reconstructing a couple of contracts.

The Braves announced López’s new three-year, $30 million deal will pay him $8 million in 2025, $14 million in ’26 and $8 million in ’27. The All-Star pitcher’s previous contract called for him to make $11 million next year. In exchange for agreeing to take $3 million less next season, the club guaranteed what had been an $8 million option for 2027.

As for Bummer, his new two-year, $13 million deal provides him the guarantee he didn’t have via the two options ($7.25 million in 2025 and $7.5 million in ’26) that would have totaled $14.75 million over the next two seasons. There was reason to question whether the Braves would exercise the first option after the southpaw posted a 3.56 ERA while primarily pitching in low-leverage situations over 56 appearances this year.

Bummer’s new deal includes a $3.5 million salary for 2025 and $9.5 million in ’26.

The Braves’ willingness to guarantee more dollars over the next few seasons highlights a desire to create some payroll space for next year.

Max Fried could exit via free agency, and even if Charlie Morton returns, his $20 million salary would be slashed to closer to the $10 million-$15 million range. But the Braves also have some players whose salaries will rise next year.

Here are a few of the more significant increases:

López exceeded all expectations as he earned an All-Star selection while making the successful conversion from reliever to starter. The 30-year-old right-hander posted a 1.99 ERA while totaling 135 2/3 innings over 26 appearances (25 starts). His workload should better prepare him to aim for 170-plus innings next year.

If Fried lands elsewhere, López, Sale and Spencer Schwellenbach give the Braves’ rotation a strong base until Strider is ready to return from elbow surgery early next season. Still, the Braves could opt to use some of the financial flexibility they have gained to add Morton or another starter on a short-term deal.

The Braves also freed up some payroll with the trade of Jorge Soler, acquiring right-hander Griffin Canning from the Angels. Canning could come to Braves camp as a candidate for the rotation, or Atlanta could choose to make him a free agent by non-tendering him.