Spencer Strider, who is 11-5 with a 2.67 ERA in 31 games this season, agreed to a six-year, $75 million contract with the Braves. Matt Slocum/Associated Press
ATLANTA — Even as they prepare for another postseason, the Atlanta Braves are stocking up for the future.
The reigning World Series champions signed rookie right-hander Spencer Strider to a $75 million, six-year contract on Monday, the latest in a series of long-term deals for their young core.
The signing of Strider, who turns 24 this month, came after just 33 big league appearances. But he’s quickly become one of the team’s most popular players, with his 100 mph fastball and bushy mustache.
Strider said he was eager to get a deal done because of “the commitment to winning, not just right now but in the future with the guys that are in this clubhouse.”
“That means a lot to me,” he added. “It’s very cool and humbling to have the opportunity to stay here.”
The move came one day before the Braves open their NL Division Series against the Philadelphia Phillies, and less than two months after Atlanta signed another rookie, outfielder Michael Harris II, to a $72 million, eight-year deal.
Harris’ deal includes a pair of team options that could raise its value to $102 million over 10 years.
Also in August, the Braves signed Austin Riley to a $212 million, 10-year contract that starts in 2023, handing out the most lucrative deal in franchise history even though the slugging third baseman would not have been eligible for free agency for three more seasons.
The signings of Riley, Harris and Strider were an extension of the Braves’ philosophy to lock up their young stars with long-term deals even when they’re under club control for several more seasons.
Outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. is tied to the Braves until 2027, while second baseman Ozzie Albies is under a cut-rate contract that binds him to Atlanta for three more seasons.
In fact, nearly every key player on the team is under contract or team control at least through 2023. The only exception is shortstop Dansby Swanson, who figures to be one of the biggest prizes in free agency, though the Braves have made it clear they hope he’ll stay in Atlanta.
PHILLIES: After guiding Philadelphia to its first playoff series victory since 2010, Manager Rob Thomson had the interim removed from his title.
The Phillies announced they have signed Thomson to a two-year contract to remain as their manager through 2024, rewarding him for a turnaround that earned Philadelphia a wild-card berth.
The 59-year-old Thomson took over on June 3 when Joe Girardi was fired, with the Phillies mired at 22-29.
Philadelphia went 65-46 the rest of the regular season, finishing third in the NL East behind Atlanta and the New York Mets, but still good enough for the Phillies to land their first postseason berth since 2011.
In the wild-card round, Philadelphia swept the NL Central champion Cardinals in two games in St. Louis. The Phillies advanced to face the Braves in the Division Series, which begins Tuesday at Truist Park.
Thomson is the first Canadian-born manager to lead a team in the postseason.
GUARDIANS: Reliever Nick Sandlin will miss the rest of the postseason because of a shoulder strain suffered in Game 2 of the AL wild-card series.
The team said that Sandlin underwent an MRI that revealed the strain of his Teres major muscle. The right-hander will be shut down for up to six weeks, eliminating him from any more games this season.
Sandlin was removed in the 10th inning of Saturday’s game – won 1-0 by the Guardians in 15 innings – with what the team called “upper arm tightness.”
Cleveland will open the AL Division Series on Tuesday in New York against the Yankees after the Guardians’ sweep of Tampa Bay in the wild-card round.
The team will replace the 25-year-old Sandlin on the ALDS roster before Tuesday’s 10 a.m. deadline.
Sandlin was a dependable member of Cleveland’s strong bullpen this season. He went 5-2 with a 2.25 ERA in 46 games as a set-up man for closer Emmanuel Clase, who led the majors with 42 saves.
Sandlin missed the final month of the 2021 season with a shoulder strain.
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