The Braves surprised many yesterday by opting not to pick up their $8 million option on Travis d’Arnaud for next season. This decision leaves a gap at the backup catcher position, which could potentially be filled by top prospect Drake Baldwin. However, relying solely on a prospect with no MLB experience at such a crucial position is a risky move. While the Braves still have Sean Murphy as their primary catcher, things could get complicated if he were to miss an extended period at any point next season.
At a minimum, the Braves will need to secure an additional backup option alongside Baldwin. MLB.com’s Mark Bowman reported that the club is still interested in potentially bringing back d’Arnaud but wants to free up that $8 million to address other needs. This list grew longer yesterday with the news that Joe Jimenez recently underwent knee surgery and might miss the entire 2025 season; at best, he’ll be out until after the All-Star break.
Jimenez’s absence is a significant blow to a Braves bullpen that’s already looking thin. Jesse Chavez, Luke Jackson, and A.J. Minter are all set to test free agency. It’s likely the Braves will try to bring back Minter, but that decision will depend on his price and recovery from the hip surgery that ended his season. There’s no guarantee he’ll be the same dependable left-handed reliever he’s been in the past.
Whether Minter returns or not, the Braves will need to target at least two high-leverage relievers in free agency, plus a couple of lower-leverage arms to replace Chavez and Jackson. This won’t come cheap, and with additional offseason needs in the outfield and at shortstop, this could shape up to be an expensive winter in Atlanta. It’s no surprise the team’s first week of the offseason has nothing but cost-cutting moves, including the decision to let Travis d’Arnaud enter free agency.
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Photo: Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
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