Braves extended general manager Alex Anthopoulos' contract through 2031 season

ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves have agreed to a contract extension with general manager Alex Anthopoulos that will keep him with the six-time reigning NL East champions through the 2031 season.

The team announced the deal Friday, locking up the GM who oversaw a World Series championship in 2021 and has been responsible for securing long-term contracts with many of top players.

Anthopoulos was hired by the Braves after the 2017 season, when the organization had endured four straight losing seasons and was mired in a scandal over international signings. His predecessor, John Coppolella, was initially banned for life by Major League Baseball, though the penalty was lifted a year ago.

With Anthopoulos at the helm, the Braves began their run of division titles in 2018. This past season, Atlanta won a big league-best 104 games before being knocked off for the second year in a row by Philadelphia in the NL Division Series.