World Series 2021: Biggest Offseason Questions for Braves and Astros

Freddie Freeman's last swing under his current contract with Atlanta delivered the World Series dagger. 

The first baseman has played for the new World Series champion for all of his major league career, but he is now out of contract. 

Freeman is one of the most coveted free agents on the market, but that is if he gets there. Atlanta would be smart to do everything in its power to keep Freeman for 2022 and beyond. 

The Houston Astros face a similar conundrum with Carlos Correa, who will be wanted by every franchise that wants to make an upgrade at shortstop. 

Correa is one of the top players on the free-agent market, and it may be harder for the Astros to keep him than for Atlanta to retain Freeman because of the abundance of interest from other clubs. 

Biggest Offseason Questions for World Series Participants

Will Atlanta Re-Sign Freddie Freeman? 

Freeman just completed an eight-year, $135 million contract that he signed in 2014. 

The 32-year-old has been the face of the Atlanta franchise for quite some time and finally got to taste the glory of winning a championship Tuesday. 

Freeman has accomplished everything possible in an Atlanta shirt now. He is a five-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger winner and a National League MVP. 

In some regards, now would be the perfect time for a star to move on to another club since everything possible has been accomplished. 

But Freeman is the heart and soul of the franchise, and there is a real possibility it will be back contending for a repeat title in 12 months.

Atlanta will get Ronald Acuna Jr. and Mike Soroka back from long-term injuries, and its pitching staff will be bolstered by a few young arms like Kyle Wright who were showcased in the World Series when Charlie Morton went down with a broken leg. 

Atlanta has one of the best foundations for multiple years of success and does not have to re-sign Eddie Rosario or Jorge Soler to achieve that success. 

Acuna will patrol the outfield again in 2022, and top-rated prospect Christian Pache should have a chance to win an Opening Day roster spot. Drew Waters could also be in the mix for one of the outfield spots depending on how he performs in spring training. 

Few teams have the organizational depth that Atlanta has, and it would make a lot of sense for both parties to continue their union. 

Of course, Atlanta will have to pony up a pretty penny for Freeman, but any cost is worth it because of what he has meant to the franchise. 

Where Does Carlos Correa Land? 

Correa will be the most-wanted player in a loaded free-agent shortstop class. 

The 27-year-old is at least a year younger than any of the other marquee names at the position who are set to hit the open market. 

Trevor Story is 29 and appears to be on the way out of Colorado, a path that many other Rockies have taken in search of big deals. 

Corey Seager is 28 and is likely to leave the Los Angeles Dodgers since Trea Turner seems ready to shift over to short.

Javier Baez would have one of the top players on the free-agent market in any other year, but right now he is the fourth-best option at his position. He is 29 and did not make a massive impact on the New York Mets' push for a playoff spot. 

Correa enters free agency off a 26-homer season in which he drove in 92 runs and produced an .850 OPS. 

The No. 1 pick in the 2012 draft produced an OPS of .850 or better in four of his seven seasons in Houston. He hit at least 20 home runs in five of those years. 

Correa would be the centerpiece of any lineup he would join. There are countless teams in the rebuilding mode that could use his plate presence and defensive skill to move up the list of World Series contenders. 

The Detroit Tigers should be on the top of the list of suitors. The American League Central side wasted no time reshaping its roster on Wednesday, as it brought in catcher Tucker Barnhart from the Cincinnati Reds. 

Detroit has a handful of impressive young pitchers and a few nice bats that it has brought up to the majors in the last two years, but it needs a superstar in the heart of the order to replace Miguel Cabrera as the team's most recognizable player. 

With the Tigers and others circling around Correa, it will be hard for Houston to keep him, especially with a handful of big contracts already on the books. Jose Altuve and Alex Bregman are on deals until the 2024 season, Lance McCullers Jr. is locked down until 2026, and the team still has to pay Yordan Alvarez.