SportsTalkATL’s Braves Offseason Wish List

Alex Anthopoulos said it himself: between now and the Winter Meetings beginning on December 8th in Dallas, the action really starts to pick up around the league. Conversations have already started, and it’s fair to expect the Braves first significant offseason acquisition to come within the next few weeks.

I’ve covered just about every free agent and trade candidate since the end of the season, so before the real action takes place, I wanted to provide my ideal realistic offseason for the Atlanta Braves.

Before I get into the names, let’s rank the club’s most significant needs.

Braves Offseason Needs

1. Outfield
2. Starting Pitching
3. Bullpen
4. Shortstop
5. Catcher

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This list looks a lot different than it did to start the offseason. The Braves always needed to address the outfield, but now that it’s known Ronald Acuña Jr. will not be ready for Opening Day, it’s far and away the most significant need. Starting pitching has also moved up the list when it was revealed Spencer Strider will miss the early part of the season as well, and the bullpen became a need out of nowhere when the news dropped that Joe Jimenez could miss the entire season after undergoing knee surgery. Because of all of those unfortunate revelations, shortstop has been bumped well down the list. Catcher joins the list after the club parted ways with Travis d’Arnaud. Although, a high quality backup catcher is much more of a luxury than a need.

Braves Trade For Garrett Crochet

My gargantuan move in this Utopian world is the Braves doing their annual blockbuster trade for White Sox ace Garrett Crochet. Everything about this makes a lot of sense. He’s available and would be the perfect replacement for Max Fried, being that he’s younger, has a better arm, and is under contract at a fraction of the price. Crochet also desires to sign an extension before even pitching for his next club. Who loves to trade for players and hand them an extension before even playing a game more than the Atlanta Braves?

The obvious roadblock for a Garrett Crochet trade is the asking price. Absolutely every competitive club should be inquiring, and the Braves don’t have the deepest farm system. However, Atlanta might be one of the few clubs that is willing to move their top prospect. Drake Baldwin is coming off an incredible season, but he’s a catcher, and like it or not Braves fans, Sean Murphy is under contract through 2028. If the Braves feel comfortable in Murphy bouncing back from a rough 2024 campaign, which they should, given his track record, there’s really no place for Baldwin in Atlanta. A package including him and some of the organization’s top arms should be enough to get it done.

Braves Sign Anthony Santander

The outfield free agent class this year doesn’t exactly move me. But by taking care of the rotation via trade, it provides Alex Anthopoulos with the financial flexibility to really go after whoever he wants in free agency to address the giant void in both left and right field. An outfield of Michael Harris II, Ronald Acuña Jr., and Anthony Santander would be tough to beat.

Braves Re-Sign A.J. Minter

A.J. Minter is a Brave through and through. He’s been a leader in the bullpen and has said on multiple occasions he desires to continue playing in Atlanta. Assuming his health checks out after hip surgery ended his season, bringing back Minter on a one-year deal with an option in year two makes sense for both sides.

Braves Re-Sign Charlie Morton

The Braves could ultimately decide their rotation is just fine with Garrett Crochet, but I think the uncertainty surrounding Spencer Strider, combined with the history of pitching injuries this team has faced in recent seasons, warrants overkill. Plus, this is a move that could potentially provide a huge boost to the bullpen when Spencer Strider returns.

Reynaldo Lopez was unbelievable as a starting pitcher for the Braves, but there are two concerns. First is the fatigue he dealt with throughout the season, which forced him to hit the IL twice. Secondly, there’s always the potential for regression. If either of those becomes an issue in year two, he can easily be moved to the bullpen, where he’s excelled throughout his career. I think bringing back Charlie Morton to eat innings is a no-brainer, regardless of how the Braves address the rest of their rotation this offseason.

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I think this is a totally feasible offseason, and it addresses most of the Braves needs. Garrett Crochet gives the Braves another frontline arm that’s cheap financially, allowing them to make a splash for an outfielder in free agency, whether it’s Santander or one of the other top guys. Minter’s Braves career simply can’t end like this, and Morton wants to continue playing, preferably for the Braves.

On top of this, the Braves should probably add another fourth outfielder that can platoon with Jarred Kelenic until Acuña is healthy. They could also look to add a backup catcher. Unfortunately, the Braves don’t address the shortstop position in this Utopian world, but with limited options, it just feels like taking care of the other needs will take priority this winter.

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Photo: Melissa Tamez/Icon Sportswire