The Braves’ offseason focus has shifted to the pitching staff after the signing of Jurickson Profar, with MLB.com’s Mark Bowman recently reporting that Atlanta was interested in Ryne Stanek.Â
However, the hard-throwing reliever will not be coming to Atlanta, as Anthony DiComo is now reporting that Stanek is returning to the Mets on a one-year deal.Â
Stanek posted a 4.88 ERA and 4.14 FIP over 55.1 innings in 2024. Not exactly lights out, but from 2021-2023, he was one of the better high leverage relievers in the game for the Houston Astros, recording a 2.90 ERA over 173.2 innings.
On a one-year deal, taking a gamble on Stanek’s upside made some sense, especially given the current state of the Braves bullpen. Atlanta needs to replace A.J. Minter, who also signed with the Mets, and Joe Jimenez, who underwent offseason knee surgery. That’s a lot of production, and the Braves are also without Jesse Chavez and Luke Jackson from last year’s bullpen. Adding another reliever or two should be the top priority of Alex Anthopoulos before the start of the season.
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Photo: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire
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