ALEX ANTHOPOULOS

The Braves signed newly acquired catcher Sean Murphy to a $73 million, six-year contract, locking up another key player with a long-term deal.

ATLANTA — (AP) — The Atlanta Braves signed newly acquired catcher Sean Murphy to a $73 million, six-year contract Tuesday, locking up another key player with a long-term deal. The contract includes a $15 million club option for 2029 with no buyout that could raise the total value of the agreement to $88 million. Murphy will make $4 million in 2023, $9 million in 2024 and $15 million each season from 2025 through 2028. The deal follows a familiar pattern of the Braves agreeing to new contracts with players who are still under club control for an extended period. One year after first baseman Freddie Freeman signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, longtime Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson finalized a $177 million, seven-year deal with the Chicago Cubs.

The Atlanta Braves have acquired catcher Sean Murphy from the Oakland Athletics as part of a three-team deal that also sent All-Star catcher William Contreras to the Milwaukee Brewers.

Baker had been close so often, going to the postseason 11 prior times and the World Series twice. But also notable, Baker became just the third Black manager to win the championship, joining Cito Gaston in 1992 and 1993 with the Toronto Blue Jays and Dave Roberts in 2020 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. It was the lowest figure since 1991 when the data was first recorded and Black players accounted for 18 percent of rosters. Baseball has attempted to increase the number of Black players through its RBI program. Reviving Baseball in Inner Cities began in 1991, but this year's World Series included no Black players for the first time since 1950.

Houston's Dusty Baker and the Los Angeles Dodgers' Dave Roberts are the only Black managers in Major League Baseball.

More than four months of dazzling baseball carried the Atlanta Braves to a fifth straight NL East title.

Hey, Braves fans, hope you like the core of your team.

All four played major roles in the Braves capturing their first World Series title since 1995. Rosario was MVP of the NL Championship Series, while Soler claimed the honor in a World Series victory over the Astros. The deal for Odorizzi cost the Braves another big part of their championship team. Smith had 37 saves for the Braves during the 2021 regular season and a dominant postseason, tossing 11 scoreless innings with six saves over 11 appearances. In his last four appearances with the Braves, Smith surrendered six runs in three innings.

Looking to replicate the deals that helped carry them to a World Series title in 2021, the Atlanta Braves have pulled of a flurry of trades ahead of the deadline.

The World Series champion Atlanta Braves bolstered their starting staff ahead of the trade deadline Tuesday by giving up a reliever who played a big part in their 2021 title. Poised for another postseason run, the Braves dealt former closer Will Smith to the Houston Astros for right-hander Jake Odorizzi, giving Atlanta a sixth starting pitcher for the final two months of the regular season. The move was the biggest of three deadline deals pulled off by general manager Alex Anthopoulos, who on Monday gave up minor leaguers for corner outfielder Robbie Grossman from Detroit and infielder Ehire Adrianza from Washington.

Freddie Freeman arrived at Dodger Stadium and headed to the visiting clubhouse for an emotional reunion with his former Atlanta Braves teammates.

Freddie Freeman faces the Braves in Los Angeles for the first time since leaving the World Series champions and signing a $162 million, six-year deal with the Dodgers last month.

There's a lot to catch up on from a bizarre baseball offseason before the 2022 season officially begins with first pitch at Wrigley Field.

Atlanta's trade for Matt Olson was designed to ensure the defending World Series champion Braves will be contenders in 2022. Signing Olson to an eight-year deal only one day later was the foundation of a plan by general manager Alex Anthopoulos to keep Atlanta competitive through the decade. As soon as it became clear the Braves and Freddie Freeman wouldn't reach a deal, Anthopoulos shifted to a new a long-term strategy.

Judge has asked New York for $21 million, while the Yankees have offered $17 million, up from $10,175,000 last year. Teams and players can continue to negotiate and may agree on a deal at any time. Batting champion Trea Turner and the Los Angeles Dodgers agreed to a $21 million, one-year deal. The Blue Jays signed new third baseman Matt Chapman to a $25 million, two-year deal, six days after getting him in a trade with Oakland. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. got $7.9 million in his first season of arbitration eligibility.

New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge and five players from the World Series champion Atlanta Braves are among the players who are headed toward salary arbitration hearings that will occur during the regular season after failing to agree to contracts for 2022.

Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker said Monday he's considering all options, including a six-man rotation or an opener, as he looks for answers in his starting rotation. The Braves, who open the season on April 7 at home against Cincinnati, are scheduled to play 14 consecutive days before their first off day. Snitker said he may add a sixth starter during that stretch.

Twins Braves Baseball Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Bryce Elder gets a fist pump from catcher William Contreras in the third inning of a spring training baseball game against the Minnesota Twins in North Port, Fla., Friday, March 18, 2022. (Curtis Compton/Atlanta Journal-Constitution via AP) (Curtis Compton)ATLANTA — (AP) — The Atlanta Braves capped a busy week with another stunning move, signing three-time All-Star closer Kenley Jansen to a $16 million, one-year contract Friday night. The left-hander had 37 saves and was especially effective down the stretch and in the postseason for the World Series champions. Jansen has 350 saves in his 12-year career which had been spent entirely with the Dodgers. The Dodgers and Braves have squared off in the last two NL Championship Series, each winning once on the way to a World Series title.

The Atlanta Braves capped a busy week with another stunning move, signing three-time All-Star closer Kenley Jansen to a $16 million, one-year contract.

Alex Anthopoulos and his family settled on unusual ways to be festive after the Braves' general manager was forced to quarantine at home with COVID-19 as his team ended Atlanta’s 26-year championship drought in the big four major sports.

The Atlanta Braves were cheered by hundreds of thousands of fans in a two-stage parade celebrating the team’s first World Series championship since 1995.

Atlanta first baseman Freddie Freeman’s future is the most pressing offseason issue facing the Braves, who beat the Houston Astros to cap an improbable run to their first World Series title since 1995.

NLDS Brewers Braves Baseball Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Max Fried, left speaks with Atlanta Braves General Manager Alex Anthopoulos after Game 4 of a baseball National League Division Series against the Milwaukee Brewers, Tuesday, Oct. 12, 2021, in Atlanta. The Atlanta Braves won 5-4 to advance to the NLCS. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) (John Bazemore)HOUSTON — (AP) — Atlanta Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos tested positive for COVID-19 and wasn’t with the team when it clinched the World Series championship Tuesday night. “He’s such a big part of this.”The 44-year-old Anthopoulos has been the Braves’ general manager since November 2017. He rejoined the team in time for the World Series and wound up winning the MVP award.

Atlanta Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos tested positive for COVID-19 and wasn’t with the team when it clinched the World Series championship.

The Braves hammered the Houston Astros 7-0 Tuesday night.

The Atlanta Braves have won their first World Series championship since 1995, hammering the Houston Astros 7-0 in Game 6.

Beloved baseball lifer Ron Washington is finally getting another shot at a World Series title.

NLCS Braves Dodgers Baseball Atlanta Braves' Eddie Rosario, right, is congratulated by Atlanta Braves' Joc Pederson after hitting a two-run home run in the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 4 of baseball's National League Championship Series Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021, in Los Angeles. “This isn’t going to define our season, this series,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said that night at New York’s Citi Field. Rosario, Duvall and Pederson combined to drive in 17 of Atlanta’s 28 runs in its six-game NL Championship Series win over the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Rosario was selected MVP as the Braves advanced to a World Series matchup against the Houston Astros starting Tuesday night. Rosario made his Braves debut on Aug. 28, and hit .271 with seven homers and 16 RBIs in 96 at-bats.

The Atlanta Braves are in the World Series in no small part thanks to the trades general manager Alex Anthopoulos made during the season.

The Atlanta Braves welcomed back outfielder Jorge Soler for Game 5 of the NL Championship Series after he was activated following his positive COVID-19 test.

(AP Photo/Jack Dempsey) (Jack Dempsey)Max Scherzer and Trea Turner wearing Dodger blue, Kris Bryant heading to the Golden Gate. From contenders boosting their roster to the also-ran Chicago Cubs and Washington Nationals gutting theirs, this was a monster day for moves. The Los Angeles Dodgers made the biggest noise, getting Scherzer and Turner for a talented quartet of young prospects. “I want to personally thank Anthony Rizzo, Javy Báez and Kris Bryant,” Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts said in a statement. They traded away Scherzer and Turner, keys to their 2019 title, along with Lester, Yan Gomes and Josh Harrison.

Now this truly was an All-Star trade deadline day.

(Kevin D. Liles/Atlanta Braves via AP Pool)ATLANTA – It took a while for Brian Snitker to get his shot at being a big league manager. The Atlanta Braves announced Friday they have extended Snitker's contract through the 2023 season, with a club option for 2024. AdWhen Fredi Gonzalez was fired early in the 2016 season, Snitker became one of the oldest first-time managers in big league history. But, after going 72-90 in his first full season, Atlanta won the first of its three straight division titles in 2018. Snitker was voted NL Manager of the Year in 2018.

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Cole Hamels heads to the dugout after being pulled from the mound during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Baltimore Orioles, Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2020, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)ATLANTA – After making just one start for the Atlanta Braves, Cole Hamels went back on the 10-day injured list Monday and is done for the season. He was scheduled to make his second start Tuesday after struggling throughout the year to overcome shoulder and triceps issues. The Braves were hoping Hamels, who signed an $18 million, one-year contract last fall, would return in time to provide a boost for the playoffs. Now, Hamels is done for the year, his Braves' career possibly ending after he made that one appearance last week in Baltimore.

Atlanta Braves' Max Fried pitches against the Washington Nationals during the first inning of a baseball game Saturday, Sept. 5, 2020, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/John Amis)The Atlanta Braves' season-long rotation woes continued Tuesday when Max Fried, the top healthy starter, was placed on the 10-day injured list. Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos said Fried has a left-side muscle spasm in his lumbar spine. Anthopoulos said he hopes Fried can return from the IL as soon as he is eligible on Sept. 16. Anthopoulos said he hopes Culberson can be added to the team's camp at its alternate training site at Triple-A Gwinnett.