Braves manager Brian Snitker knew that there was a possibility that Freddie Freeman would leave Atlanta. After all, Freeman was a free agent. That’s how it works. But he probably didn’t expect for the Braves to make a move that paved way for Freeman’s departure.
We could see that surprise on Monday.
The Braves and Oakland Athletics agreed on a blockbuster trade that sent All-Star first baseman Matt Olson to Atlanta for a package of top prospects like Cristian Pache and Shea Langeliers. The trade almost certainly meant that Freeman was going to sign elsewhere, but what a time for Snitker to hear about the news.
Oakland will receive OF Cristian Pache, C Shea Langeliers, SP Ryan Cusick and SP Joey Estes, sources tell ESPN. Massive haul for Matt Olson, the Braves’ new first baseman.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 14, 2022
The Braves manager found out about the trade while he was speaking with reporters who read off Jeff Passan’s tweet in realtime.
