The Atlanta Braves are entering the offseason with a ton of questions. Key players like Ronald Acuña Jr. and Spencer Strider are expected to begin the season on the injured list (IL), while A.J. Minter and Joe Jiménez might also be unavailable. Adding to the uncertainty, veterans Charlie Morton and Max Fried could depart in free agency, leaving significant gaps in the roster.
And the challenges don’t stop there. Even among the returning players, upgrades might be necessary. Orlando Arcia and Jarred Kelenic come to mind as areas for potential improvement. However, the Braves’ payroll situation complicates matters.
While General Manager Alex Anthopoulos has worked diligently to free up salary—trading Jorge Soler, declining Travis d’Arnaud’s option, restructuring contracts, and non-tendering several players—the team’s financial flexibility remains limited.
To be fair, the Braves have a war chest of sorts, bolstered by expectations of a rising payroll and the cost-saving moves already made. Still, Anthopoulos will need to get creative to keep pace with big spenders like the Dodgers and Mets.
As The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal points out, the Braves might need to focus on second-tier free agents rather than splashing out for marquee names.
The Braves could be shopping second-tier free agents to stay under the luxury tax threshold, says @Ken_Rosenthal. pic.twitter.com/U6XUsBKwhx
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) November 25, 2024
To make matters worse, a report from Bob Nightengale suggests even the second-tier free agents may prove to be expensive.
“Teams have been appalled at the high price tag for the second-tier free-agent market, with players seeking at least $20 million a year for multiyear deals,” Nightengale writes for USA Today.
Fortunately, Alex Anthopoulos thrives in these situations.
The Braves have to add an outfielder, a starter, and a reliever. There’s really no way around it either. How Alex Anthopoulos goes about it will tell us a lot. Depending on which facet of the roster he pours resources into, we will have a better idea of what the club thinks of their internal pieces.
For the outfield, it’ll be Jarred Kelenic. For the rotation, it’ll be the young arms like Spencer Schwellenbach, A.J. Smith-Shawver, Hurston Waldrep and others. For the bullpen, it’ll be guys like Dasybel Hernandez and Grant Holmes.
If the Braves don’t add significant pieces to those areas, it shows the confidence Alex Anthopoulos has in those respective players.
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Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire
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