Atlanta Braves fans stunned by report that there's been minimal discussions with free-agent shortstop Dansby Swanson: "Freddie Freeman 2.0", "Yikes"

Dansby Swanson's time with the Atlanta Braves could be up. There have been reports that the team hasn't spoken with the former first-overall pick in the 2015 MLB Draft. This isn't great news, as the shortstop free agent market has gotten considerably smaller since the Winter Meetings ended.

Atlanta made a recent offer that included six years for $16-17 million annually. It's a light offer compared to his other shortstop counterparts, who are receiving 11-year deals like Trea Turner and Xander Bogaerts.

It's a tough pill to swallow for Atlanta Braves fans. Teams like the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets have made their teams better for next season. Atlanta needs to respond and do the same.

Fans don't want to see Swanson leave. He's coming off of an All-Star year, the first of his career. He's been a solid core piece for the Braves since his debut in 2016.

Fans believe that Dansby Swanson is holding out for a bigger contract than what Atlanta had originally offered him. And with the shortstop free-agent market dwindling, Swanson could get the contract he's searching for elsewhere.

Some fans are projecting that the Minnesota Twins could snatch up Swanson. Another team that has been linked to the shortstop is the Chicago Cubs; they've been aggressive in free agency thus far.

Could the Atlanta Braves be facing a Freddie Freeman situation with Dansby Swanson?

Dansby Swanson was reportedly frustrated by the lack of communication with the team and reached out to the president of baseball operations, Alex Anthonopuls. It's not really clear why the team hasn't been in talks with Swanson. It feels similar to the Freddie Freeman situation that happened last off-season.

Freeman couldn't land a deal with the Braves last off-season and took a contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers. He ended up firing his agents from Excel Sports Management, who gave the Braves an ultimatum without his consent.

Atlanta offered $135 million to Freeman, but his agents gave the Braves two proposals significantly higher than $135 million. They then gave the team an hour to respond, resulting in the team upping their offer to $140 million.

Freeman didn't want to leave Atlanta, and it was clear when he returned to play at Truist Park for the first time since joining LA.

About the author

Jared "Bloomy" Bloom is a journalist covering Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda and a former college baseball pitcher from Illinois, who just graduated with a Master's degree in Sport Psychology.

A writer with over 3 years of experience, Jared is consistently more concerned with quality than quantity, thoroughly checking multiple sources of information, and prides himself in being knowledgeable not just about MLB, but the game of baseball in general. He loves breaking down plays and game-changing moments, as well as looking closer into players' statistics.

Jared is a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan, and one of his earliest memories is seeing his great-grandfather, a huge Sox fan, in his rocking chair watching a game. Jared started playing from the age of 5 with his grandfather coaching him early on.

Jared loved Tim Lincecum for his quirky delivery and looked up to him as a role model when playing. His current favorite is Phillies star Bryce Harper, an exciting player who doesn't let injuries hold him back. Jared's favorite sports moment is Mark Buehrle's opening day between-the-legs glove flip to first base in 2010.

When he is not watching or writing about baseball, Jared can be found racing BMX at his local Rockford BMX track or coaching his local youth travel baseball team.

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