The Atlanta Braves and manager Fredi Gonzalez have agreed to a contract extension that will keep him with the team for at least one more season.
Per the Braves’ official Twitter account, Gonzalez’s deal has been extended through 2016 and includes a team option for 2017.
Braves president of baseball operations John Hart was recently asked about Gonzalez’s performance and status this season, as the team went through various roster changes, by Jeff Schultz of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution:
He’s a winning man, he loves and cares about the Braves and he’s done a superior job. I was candid with Fredi: “I know you’re in your last year (of a contract). We’re making a run-through here, and we’ll make the call when it’s appropriate.” But Fredi is always ready to help figure out the solution to a problem.
Hart wasn’t ready to make any strong declarations at that point, but it seems he and ownership felt Gonzalez’s work over the past 4.5 years warranted at least one more year on the team’s bench.
Per ESPN Stats & Info, this has been Gonzalez’s worst season since taking over as Atlanta’s manager in 2011:
Even though that wouldn’t seem to warrant an extension, keep in mind the Braves traded away Justin Upton, Craig Kimbrel, Evan Gattis and Jason Heyward before the team’s first game this season. They have also been without star first baseman Freddie Freeman since June 17 due to a wrist injury.
Given all of those losses, it’s a wonder that the Braves are 42-47 heading into the season’s second half. Gonzalez hasn’t been given a long-term commitment, so the onus is still on him to prove he can lead this team as it moves into a new stadium after next season.
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