The Braves could essentially roll it back with a very similar squad in 2025, but there’s also the possibility of a lot of unforeseen changes.
The most notable being Max Fried’s looming free agency. The writing seems to be on the wall and the most likely significant change will be an Atlanta rotation without Fried. However, it’s far from the only one.
The outfield could be completely overhauled if Alex Anthopoulos sees Ronald Acuna Jr. as a DH next season. Marcell Ozuna and Jorge Soler could be traded in that scenario, with the Braves bringing in one full-time outfielder and another to at least compete with Jarred Kelenic.
But if everyone is healthy, the Braves’ weakest link is obvious — Orlando Arcia. He had a career year in 2023 but regressed in 2024. Shortstop could be dramatically upgraded, and it’s the one thing Jeff Francoeur wants to see this offseason.
"You gotta get an elite shortstop, whether it's Bo Bichette, Willy Adames."
Jeff Francoeur's thoughts on what the Braves should do this offseason. pic.twitter.com/y3KCuEnmUY
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) October 16, 2024
“You gotta get an elite shortstop, whether it’s Bo Bichette, Willy Adames,” Francoeur said. “You gotta get someone who’s got power at that position. If you do that, you got one of the deepest lineups in baseball if everybody’s healthy.”
If it were up to Braves fans, Arcia has already started his last game in Atlanta. The combination of his antics and on-field struggles have made him unpopular among the fan base, but it’s a pill they should probably swallow at some point because the likelihood is that Orlando Arcia is in the Braves Opening Day starting lineup next season.
Are the Braves willing to fork over $200 million for Willy Adames? He’s the obvious target, but Alex Anthopoulos balked at the chance to pay a marquee shortstop during Dansby Swanson’s free agency.
Maybe Ha-Seong Kim will opt out of his contract this winter and sign a deal with the Braves at a much more team-friendly rate because he’s coming off an injury. Or the Braves could choose to go the internal route with Nacho Alvarez, but that doesn’t feel like a great basket to put their eggs in. Simply put, there are no easy-had upgrades.
Arcia is being paid $2 million, and if a handful of stars — Ronald Acuna Jr., Austin Riley, Ozzie Albies, and Michael Harris II — didn’t miss so much time, the underwhelming production from their shortstop wouldn’t have been such a big deal.
I hope the Braves do upgrade the position, and I never have to watch Orlando Arcia embarrass me in the playoffs again, but doing so is much easier said than done.
—
You must log in to post a comment.