Outside The Confines: A home with the Braves

There is just way too much news for me to chit-chat up here. I’m probably going to miss some news anyway.

• In case you missed it late last night, free agent first baseman Anthony Rizzo signed a two-year, $32 million deal to return to the Yankees. There’s an opt-out after one year so it’s really a one-year, $16 million deal with a $16 million player option for 2023.
• But the big news was the trade that sent first baseman Matt Olson from Oakland to the Braves.
• The Braves also signed Olson to an eight-year, $168 million extension. Gabe Lacques reports on how Olson and the Braves reacted to the news and the implication that Freddie Freeman’s days in Atlanta are over.
• Mike Petriello explains why the Braves picked Olson over Freeman and what are the risks involved.
• Zach Crizer thinks the Braves’ move to take Olson over Freeman makes sense on some levels, but he bemoans the lack of loyalty in MLB.
• Jayson Stark looks back at Freeman’s special career in Atlanta and says nothing last forever. (The Athletic sub. req.)
• Dan Szymborski looks at what kind of production the Braves can expect out of Olson over the next eight years.
• Eric Longenhagen and Kevin Goldstein look at the prospects the A’s got back for Olson. They think Oakland got a really good haul.
• R.J. Anderson grades the Braves as a “A” on the trade and the A’s as a “B.” OK, that’s a little confusing. So B gets an A and A gets a B.
• So where is Freddie Freeman going to go? The Blue Jays are one rumored team and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. said he is willing to move to third base if the team signs Freeman. And I’m willing to play second base if the Cubs sign Carlos Correa.
• Ken Rosenthal reports that the Rays are trying to sign Freeman and the move makes a lot of sense, despite the Rays’ payroll limitations. (The Athletic sub. req.) Rosenthal still questions whether the Rays can outbid the Dodgers or Blue Jays, but he does think they can make a reasonably attractive offer to Freeman.
• R.J. Anderson outlines where the top teams’ payrolls are in relationship to the new competitive balance tax.
• The Reds fire sale continued as they traded outfielder Jesse Winker and third baseman Eugenio Suárez to the Mariners.
• Jay Jaffe tries to explain what both the Mariners and Reds are getting in this deal.
• Bad news came to the Padres as all-star shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. broke his wrist in a motorcycle accident during the lockout. He’ll miss the up to first three months of the season.
• Alden Gonzalez and Jesse Rogers explain what’s next for Tatis and the Padres after the injury.
• Speaking of accidents, Mets first baseman Pete Alonso was lucky to walk away from a pretty scary car accident in Tampa on Sunday.
• The Brewers signed free agent outfielder Andrew McCutchen. Jake Mailhot examines what Milwaukee can expect out of McCutchen. Other than top viral videos, of course.
• Or stuff like this from McCutchen.

• Steve Gardner explains why so many teams (including the Cubs) are interesting in signing Japanese outfielder Seiya Suzuki.
• Andy Martino explains why the Mets are not bidding on Kyle Schwarber.
• The Braves also signed right-hander Collin McHugh to a two-year, $10 million deal.
• The Rangers were disappointed that lefty Clayton Kershaw signed with the Dodgers, but Jorge Castillo reports that they may try again to sign him next winter.
• Last night, a federal judge in Northern California ruled that minor league players are year-long employees and that MLB owes the affected players a little under $1.9 million.
• Also, a state legislator in California plans to introduce a bill that grants labor rights to minor league ballplayers and allow them to become free agents after four years.
• Unvaccinated Yankees and Mets players will not be allowed to play home games under New York’s vaccine mandate. They also will not be allowed to enter Canada to play the Blue Jays.
• Red Sox players Xander Bogaerts and Christian Arroyo said that they have been vaccinated, but Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge dodged the question.
• Cardinals starter Jack Flaherty had his shoulder examined on Tuesday. Uh-oh. I never wish a shoulder injury on any pitcher.
• Here’s a list of experimental rules for the independent Atlantic League this year, including the “double-hook” DH and the dropped pitch rule.
• Jon Springer takes note of the new CBA and how it allows paid ads on player jerseys and what that might mean.
• After the lockout, Hunter Felt asks if MLB and the NFL are simply “too rich to fail.”
• And finally, Christina De Nicola looks back at Helen Candaele and the other members of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League that inspired A League of Their Own.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster.