The playoffs are nearing an end, as the final four teams will be decided over the next few days. In a couple of weeks, a group of new champions will be crowned, and soon after that, free agency will be underway. The Braves don’t have a ton of glaring needs, but there are a few positions that can be upgraded, and pitching will always be a priority for any team attempting to compete.
This begins a series where I’ll highlight notable Braves free agent targets.Â
Potential Braves Free Agent Targets: Left Field
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Left field was an issue for the Braves going into last offseason, and they chose to address it by taking a gamble on a young talent in Jarred Kelenic and added some insurance by bringing back Adam Duvall. The experiment with Jarred Kelenic wasn’t a total failure, but by the end of the season, he was completely phased out of the lineup. The same with Adam Duvall, who had a dismal 2024 campaign and might be thinking about retirement heading into 2025.
Unless the Braves feel like Jorge Soler can play in the outfield next season, which isn’t likely based on his defensive play this year, someone has to be brought in to compete with Jarred Kelenic in left field. There aren’t many marquee names listed above, but there are plenty of veteran upgrades.
O’Neill is coming off a huge year for the Red Sox in which he blasted 31 homers in just 113 games. He shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg and absolutely crushes left-handed pitching to the tune of a 1.180 OPS last season, making him an ideal platoon option with Jarred Kelenic.
Jurickson Profar is coming off a career year with the Padres, recording 3.7 WAR and an .839 OPS. It won’t be easy to pry him away from San Diego, but money talks.
Mark Canha isn’t going to change the trajectory of an organization, but he’s a veteran with a career .763 OPS that could provide some worthwhile competition for Kelenci in left field.
Alex Verdugo is a candidate that could be looking for a one-year deal in an attempt to rebuild some value and re-enter free agency next offseason after the worst offensive campaign of his career.
Tommy Pham is a veteran with a ton of postseason experience, and Jesse Winker has been a fantastic addition for the Mets, as New York continues their Cinderella playoff run.
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Photo: Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire
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