Braves agree to 3-year extension with Orlando Arcia

Let’s start Opening Day with a bang. The Atlanta Braves haven’t even officially announced their Opening Day roster, but have reportedly locked another infielder with a contract extension. FanSided’s Robert Murray reports that the Braves and infielder Orlando Arcia are in agreement on a three year, $7.3 million contract that includes a club option for 2026.

The 2023 season was set to be the last of the two-year pact that Arcia inked with the team in November of 2021 although that deal did contain a $2 million club option for the 2024 season. This new deal bumps Arcia’s pay from $1.3 million to $2.3 million this season and will pay him $2 million in 2024 and 2025.

Arcia was named as the team’s starting shortstop during the spring after Vaughn Grissom and Braden Shewmake were surprisingly both optioned back to Triple A. He hasn’t seen action in a starting role at shortstop since 2020 which was his final season in Milwaukee.

Arcia played a prominent part with the Braves in 2022 by filling in at second base after Ozzie Albies was lost to injury. He put together a .244/.316/.416 line with nine home runs and a 104 wRC+. That was the first time in his career that he had finished a season with a wRC+ better than league average.

UPDATE - The Braves have officially announced Arcia’s extension