Three New Year’s Resolutions for the Atlanta Braves

I’m not in much of a position to tell the Braves what to do; Alex Anthopoulos is one of the best general managers in all of baseball, and they’re fresh off of a World Series title. However, there is always room for improvement, and as all Braves fans know, there’s a big hole in the infield. The lockout is still going strong, but hopefully, the Braves can check these boxes when an agreement is finally reached.

Consider Some Extensions

Outside of first base, I think the Braves have played this free agency period pretty well. I love the additions of Kirby Yates and Manny Pina, and there are still plenty of high-quality options available. If the Braves want to use their strategy of “buying out” some arbitration years in exchange for a few years of a player’s prime, guys like Max Fried, Austin Riley, and Ian Anderson make a lot of sense for the right price. I’ll defer to Anthopoulos on this one.

Take Their Time With Mike Soroka

I don’t think the Braves rushed Mike Soroka in 2021 per se, but it’s tough to see him re-injure his Achilles. These are horrible injuries to try and recover from, and with Atlanta still fielding a solid rotation, I think Soroka can wait until the All-Star break at least. I would be okay if he sat out all of 2022 if it meant his career was put in a better position. We’ll have to wait and see what the Braves decide on.

Make A Splash Move

There’s no guarantee Freddie Freeman will be back, but Matt Olson and Carlos Correa are still two names on the market that should garner a lot of interest. There’s even a possibility of trading for a Bryan Reynolds or Cedric Mullins with the wealth of prospect capital at the Braves disposal. The Braves are in a good spot, but this roster could look very different in 2021. It’s probably a win-win either way, but we won’t know much until the lockout ends.