February is right around the corner, and the Braves have been dormant the entire offseason. They’ve watched Max Fried, Charlie Morton, and A.J. Minter walk out the door, and they’ve yet to sign a single player to a guaranteed major-league contract.
As currently constructed, this is not a championship caliber roster. It is probably not even good enough to win the NL East, but there’s still some time before the start of the season, and a handful of names remain on the market that could make this offseason look much better before Opening Day arrives.
Jurickson Profar
Of all the free agent outfielders, Profar was the one I was the most wary of coming into the offseason. He’s coming off a career season, recording 3.6 WAR at 31-years-old. In his ten other seasons combined, he’s accrued just 4.8 WAR. That makes him a prime candidate to be overpaid; however, perhaps the rest of the league feels the same way, and his market is much cooler than expected.
In free agency, it’s all about value, and the value could turn out to be worth the gamble on Profar. The Braves desperately need to add a starting caliber outfielder before the start of the season, and he’s really the only one left on the free agent market.
Jack Flaherty
After a multitude of injury-plagued seasons, Jack Flaherty was finally able to stay healthy and put it all together in 2024. He struck out nearly 11 batters per nine innings while recording a 3.17 ERA and helping the Dodgers to a championship. In this red-hot market for pitchers, it’s fairly surprising he hasn’t signed a multi-year deal yet.
Perhaps that’s a sign of teams being wary of his injury history, which could provide an opportunity for the Braves. The rotation might not be Atlanta’s chief concern, but adding a power arm like Flaherty to a group of Spencer Strider, Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenbach, and Reynaldo Lopez would give the Braves arguably the best rotation in baseball.
Ha-Seong Kim
The Braves might have more glaring holes to fill and not a ton of money to fill them, but upgrading the shortstop position could still be an option. Orlando Arcia is not starting caliber in any universe, and there haven’t been many reports surrounding teams interested in Kim.
A shoulder injury that ended his last season adds some complexity to a potential deal. He won’t be ready for Opening Day, and teams might be concerned with how he will return. That risk, however, also presents a potential bargain for inquiring clubs. Kim could be interested in a one-year deal to rebuild his value and enter free agency next offseason in hopes of landing a bigger deal.
The Braves make a lot of sense in this scenario. Orlando Arcia is capable of starting at shortstop to begin the season, and then Kim can step in when he’s 100%.
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Photo: Mark Goldman/Icon Sportswire
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