Braves interested in bringing back Marcell Ozuna, extending Freddie Freeman

Marcell Ozuna and Freddie Freeman were instrumental in the Atlanta Braves' postseason success, helping the team reach Game 7 of the National League Championship Series before being eliminated by the Los Angeles Dodgers. 

Ozuna is a free agent while Freeman's contract expires at the end of 2021, and the Braves would be crazy to let either player walk away from the club. It appears they don't plan on letting that happen.

"Marcell was amazing for us. He was awesome. I'd love to have him back," Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said Tuesday, according to MLB.com's Mark Bowman.

"I certainly plan on having discussions. But just a day after we got back, there is uncertainty in so many areas. I'm not trying to be cryptic or to foreshadow. We're going to have to work hard to get as many answers as we can from a revenue standpoint, a (designated hitter) standpoint, all of those things. But there's no doubt he was tremendous for us."

Ozuna led the National League in home runs and RBI after signing a one-year, $18 million deal with Atlanta last offseason. The 29-year-old is set for a hefty raise after batting .338 with 56 RBIs and 18 home runs. 

Anthopoulos also discussed the possibility of extending Freeman, who he believes will be a member of the organization for a very long time. 

"He's someone we plan on and expect to have as a Brave for a long time," the Braves executive said. "I know he plans on that as well. When that time comes, hopefully, it will be the first time you hear about it. Like with any contract, we're going to work real hard to keep that quiet, because we don't want daily questions of the players, manager, and coaches. It just makes it hard to get deals done. He's a key part of this organization."

Freeman, who is considered an NL MVP candidate, also should receive a nice contract extension. The 31-year-old batted .341 with 13 home runs and 53 RBI in 60 games.