Atlanta locked up its young starter (almost) as fast as he can throw his four-seam heater — take a closer look at the Braves’ Spencer Strider contract.
The Atlanta Braves have been very willing to lock up their young talent with long-term contracts early in their careers. The team had already done it with Ronald Acuña Jr., Ozzie Albies, and Austin Riley in the past couple of years, and the 2021 World Series champs have added stability to their rotation and lineup alike with more team-friendly deals.
Starting pitcher Spencer Strider burst onto the MLB scene in 2022. With his signature mustache and running back-like quads, Strider has been dominating hitters from the jump with his elite fastball-slider combo. Last year, he set the rookie record for most strikeouts in a season– and when a player is smashing milestones previously owned by Randy Johnson, you know the potential is extremely high.
The Braves inked that potential to an eight-year, $75 million extension, keeping Strider under contract through 2029 if an eighth-year club option is exercised. GM Alex Anthopoulos is securing his core players in hopes of being a postseason contender for years to come. With that in mind, take a closer look at the particulars of the Braves’ Spencer Strider contract extension, as well as the flamethrower’s career earnings to date.
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Spencer Strider Contract Details & Salary
All dollar figures via Spotrac.
Years: 8
Total value: $75,000,000
Average annual value: $12,500,000
Free agency: 2030
2022 salary: $1,210,000
2023 salary: $1,000,000
Remaining salary under current deal:
2024: $1,000,000
2025: $4,000,000
2026: $20,000,000
2027: $22,000,000
2028: $22,000,000
2029: $5,000,000 club option
Coming off a runner-up finish (to teammate Michael Harris II, no less) in the NL Rookie of the Year race, Strider entered the 2023 season at just 24 years of age and on a trajectory toward becoming one of Major League Baseball’s top power pitchers. His backloaded contract gives the Braves an opportunity to add more talent up and down the roster as the deal unfolds.
In 2023, Strider is set to be just the No. 23 highest-paid player on his own team as of this writing. To say that his on-field value exceeds his contract value is a colossal understatement — and one that will remain true for potentially several more years. Over the life of this deal, Strider will multiply his current career earnings by more than 35 times when it’s completed, and even if his 2029 club option is exercised, he’ll have a chance to hit his first-ever free agency at just 30 years of age.
Spencer Strider’s Career Earnings
MLB SALARY EARNINGS THRU 2023: $2,667,934
TOTAL SALARY EARNINGS THRU 2029 SEASON (requires club option): $76,667,934
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