Brian McCann's future with the Atlanta Braves remains up in the air this offseason, but the franchise took a step toward protecting itself on Monday. The Braves extended a qualifying offer to their longtime catcher, the team announced.
Qualifying offers are worth one year, $14.1 million this offseason. McCann will have until Nov. 11 to accept or decline the offer.
As an unrestricted free agent, the seven-time All-Star is projected to be one of the top names out there when bidding begins on Nov. 5, with the New York Yankees, Texas Rangers, Boston Red Sox and Chicago White Sox among the franchises reportedly in the hunt. He's expected to fetch an offer in the ballpark of five years worth $80 million.
Though he's dealt with injuries over the past two seasons, the career .277 hitter with 176 home runs returned in 2013 to help lead the Braves to the NL East title and a playoff appearance.
McCann, 29, is one of eight Braves players to file for free agency following the World Series finale, joining Tim Hudson, Paul Maholm, Eric O'Flaherty, Scott Downs, Kameron Loe, Luis Ayala and Freddy Garcia.
Either way, the Braves assured themselves compensation were McCann to head elsewhere next season through the qualifying offer.
Any new team looking to sign McCann would have to forfeit a first-round draft pick — other than those holding top-11 protected picks in next year's draft; those teams would forfeit a second-round pick — while the Braves would receive a compensatory pick at the end of the draft's first round. Even if he were to turn down Atlanta's qualifying offer, McCann could still sign with the Braves the way reigning World Series MVP David Ortiz did just last year.
Thus far, nothing has changed. The Braves are making all the necessary moves with McCann. Time will tell just how high they are willing to go — if at all; even with a potential payroll increase, adding $16 million annually to the ledger could be costly to a 40-man roster already carrying catchers Evan Gattis, Gerald Laird and prospect Christian Bethancourt — if and when he puts his services up for grabs.
As part of their Monday press release, the Braves also announced that backup outfielder Reed Johnson's contract option was not exercised. The 11-year pro hit .244/.311/.341 in just 74 games this past season while struggling with injuries.
