The former MVP was apparently not pleased with how his free agency played out this past offseason.
Days after making his return to Atlanta in a Dodgers uniform, Freddie Freeman has made another career change by reportedly changing representation.
Freeman is leaving Excel Sports Management and will now be self-represented, according to ESPN’s Buster Olney. Lead Excel agent Casey Close did not immediately respond to ESPN’s request for comment.
Shortly after Olney’s report, Freeman issued a statement saying that his representation remains a “fluid situation.”
Freeman was emotional upon returning to Truist Park over the weekend, receiving a standing ovation by the fans and crying when speaking to the media before the game. His motivation for changing agents apparently stems from his dissatisfaction with how the negotiation process with the Braves played out this past offseason.
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According to Olney, the Braves had offered Freeman a five-year, $135 million deal in the days leading up to the lockout, and still left it available once the lockout ended in March. Close reportedly countered Braves head of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos with two proposals worth “significantly higher” than Atlanta’s $135 million offer, giving Atlanta one hour to respond.
As the hour passed, both Close and Anthopoulos agreed that there were no longer any offers on the table, and the Braves quickly pivoted their strategy to acquire All-Star first baseman Matt Olson in a trade with the A’s, then signing him to an eight-year, $168 million contract. That closed the book on any chance of Freeman returning to Atlanta.
Freeman eventually signed a six-year, $162 million contract with Los Angeles, a deal that included $57 million in deferred money. He was reportedly unhappy with how the Braves handled the negotiations but later made peace with Anthopoulos and the organization.
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