The Braves could see a lot of movement in their bullpen this offseason; for better or worse. Joe Jiménez and Jesse Chavez, two of Atlanta’s best bullpen arms, are set to hit the market. Chavez may retire, and Jiménez is likely to be expensive. However, with how much the Braves traded away to get him, you have to think he’s a top priority. The Braves did, however, already bring back Pierce Johnson on a solid deal.
Regardless of how things turn out with their remaining pending free agents, there are plenty of interesting options. Even if they do bring both of them back, they should be interested in some upgrades. There are a lot of relievers available, too many to mention, so I’ll just go with some of the WAR leaders from 2023. Previous editions are linked below:
RHP Reynaldo Lopez — Cleveland Guardians
Lopez was shipped to the Angels at the trade deadline, and when LA quit on the season by designating him and the other players they traded for at the deadline, he was pitching well for the Halos. However, he was even better for Cleveland, not allowing a single run over 11 innings. He would give the Braves even more firepower out of the ‘pen.
LHP Josh Hader — San Diego Padres
Hader would really put the Braves over the top, adding him alongside AJ Minter would give the Braves the best left bullpen duo in baseball. I don’t see the Braves forking over that type of money for another bullpen arm, but a guy can dream. 1.28 ERA over 56 innings won’t come without a price.
RHP Hector Neris — Houston Astros
Neris was fantastic in 2023 with a 1.71 ERA over 68.1 innings. Furthermore, he has a lot of postseason experience with Houston. He’s about as steady as they come and would be a great addition to the ‘pen.
RHP Jakob Junis — San Francisco Giants
Junis feels like a Braves-esque pickup. His numbers aren’t sexy, but he has a good breaking ball, doesn’t walk guys, and induces soft contact. He’s a potential Collin McHugh replacement if the Braves decide to move on from him.
LHP Matt Moore — Miami Marlins
Moore was incredible with the Rangers in 2022, posting a 1.75 ERA over 74 innings. He kept up the pace in 2023 with a 2.56 ERA. He could take over that long-relief role, which is valuable with a lefty that can make spot starts in a pinch.
LHP Aroldis Chapman — Texas Rangers
Chapman has been solid since reviving his career with Kansas City, and he’s a big part of Texas’s success in the 2023 postseason. I could absolutely see the Braves being interested in his services.
RHP Ryan Brasier — Los Angeles Dodgers
Brasier had a terrible start to 2023 with the Red Sox, giving up 17 earned runs over 21 innings. However, he found something after getting picked up by the Dodgers, only allowing three earned runs over 38.2 innings, good for a 0.70 ERA. He’s an interesting buy-low candidate.
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Photographer: Julian Avram/Icon Sportswire
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