Braves get heartbreaking news on Ronald Acuna Jr. contract extension with playoff baseball looming

Braves get heartbreaking news on Ronald Acuna Jr. contract extension with playoff baseball looming originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Until Sunday, there was arguably no hotter hitter in baseball than Ronald Acuña Jr., as he had been scorching the cover off the ball. Acuña hit multiple home runs in a crucial series against the Philadelphia Phillies over the weekend. He also reclaimed his spot as the top villain at Citizens Bank Park with his performance at the plate. Acuña made it clear that he feeds off the energy Phillies fans give him simply by booing him. "I love the fans from Philly because they boo me," Acuña said after the Braves win on Sunday. "So, that's motivation." The Atlanta Braves and Acuña could eventually have a conversation about a contract extension, but it remains unclear whether that will happen anytime soon. The Braves are not exactly known for handing out outrageous contracts, and an extension for Acuña could become a massive financial commitment. "The Braves must also account for future extensions for other core players, making payroll allocation a delicate exercise. Retaining Acuña long term is a priority, but accomplishing it will not be easy. Bellinger pulled in $162 million despite his up-and-down career thus far. Signing Acuña will almost certainly require more, both in total dollars and years," HTHB's Chase Owens wrote. "With each big-money contract we see like Bellinger or Kyle Tucker or Bo Bichette, it feels increasingly likely that Ronald would have no trouble finding a deal worth at least $300 million if not significantly more." Recently, MLB insider Ken Rosenthal spoke about a potential contract extension between the two sides. His update was not encouraging for Acuña's long-term future in Atlanta. "Now Acuña, I'm sure, would welcome talks for an extension because he'd had so many injuries, but I just don't see it happening. I do see him, in two years, becoming a free agent," Rosenthal said. That is not something many Braves fans want to hear, especially because Acuña has become the face of the franchise. It would also be the second time this decade that Atlanta could lose a franchise cornerstone in free agency after Freddie Freeman signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Acuña has given everything to Atlanta, and the fans have given plenty back to him. There is a special relationship between the superstar and the city, with an obvious amount of love coming from both sides. If he does hit free agency, it would be utter heartbreak. More MLB news: