The Atlanta Braves have restructured the contracts of left-handed reliever Aaron Bummer and right-hander Reynaldo Lopez, who converted to a starter role and became a first-time All-Star in his ninth major league season.
The team announced Saturday that Bummer has agreed to a two-year, $13 million guaranteed contract, with a $3.5 million salary in 2025 and $9.5 million in 2026.
Bummer’s former contract, which he had signed with the Chicago White Sox for five years and $16 million, had options of $7.25 million next season and $7.5 million in 2026. The Braves had a $1.25 million buyout.
Atlanta traded five players for Bummer, now 31, last November. He went 4-3 this season with a 3.58 ERA, 69 strikeouts and 18 walks in 55 1/3 innings over 56 relief appearances.
The White Sox selected Bummer in the 19th round of the 2014 MLB Draft. He has a career record of 18-18 with a 3.79 ERA, five saves, 378 strikeouts and 147 walks in 327 1/3 innings over 346 relief appearances.
Lopez, 30, was scheduled to make $11 million next season. Instead, he’s taking $3 million less at $8 million but will also be paid $14 million in 2026 and $8 million in what had been an option year in 2027.
The Braves had signed Lopez as a free agent last November to a three-year, $30 million deal. He went 8-5 with a 1.99 ERA, 148 strikeouts and 42 walks in 135 2/3 innings over 26 games (25 starts).
Lopez has worked both in the rotation (122 starts) and out of the bullpen (145 relief appearances in his career). He is 47-54 with six saves, a 3.93 ERA, 765 strikeouts and 291 walks in 815 1/3 innings for the Washington Nationals (2016) White Sox (2017-23), Los Angeles Angels (2023), Cleveland Guardians (2023) and Braves.
Both pitchers will donate 1 percent of their salaries to the Atlanta Braves Foundation, the team announced.
–Field Level Media
