Every offseason since the Braves won the World Series has come with a blockbuster trade.
First, it was Matt Olson replacing Freddie Freeman. Then, it was Sean Murphy as Alex Anthopoulos went back to the Athletics’ talent pool in a three-team trade. Last winter, Atlanta struck a deal with Boston to bring in Chris Sale.
Each has had varying rates of success, but one thing has become apparent: Anthopoulos is a big game hunter and does so through the trade market, not free agency. However, you won’t get anything out of Atlanta’s GM.
“I have no idea. You just don’t know how the winter is going to go, especially early on,” Anthopoulos said when asked if this is the offseason for a free agent splash, via 680 The Fan. “There’s a ton of players out there in free agency. There’s players available in trade. We have a lot balls in the air.”
The Braves had to cut some costs because of developments surrounding Joe Jimenez, Ronald Acuna Jr., and Spencer Strider; however, they’re also creating payroll flexibility in anticipation of a move coming down the pike.
“As we start to make some determinations, some decisions. Whether it’s signings and trades, that obviously eliminates other opportunities,” Anthopoulos continued. “There’s a lot of ways to make the team better. We have a lot of areas that we can make the team better, and that’s part of why we wanted as much flexibility as possible to start the winter.”
The Hot Stove is simmering, and while Anthopoulos did not reveal much, he did provide a timeline for when some things might come to fruition.
“The winter meetings are next month, and I expect things to continue to accelerate there. Between now and the winter meetings, there’s going to be a lot of conversation. I was just on the phone with some teams this morning.”
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Photo: David John Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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