With A.J. Minter, Jesse Chavez, and Luke Jackson all headed for free agency, the Braves were always going to be in the market for bullpen arms this offseason. However, the need for a high-priced shutdown guy didn’t really exist with Joe Jimenez, Pierce Johnson, Aaron Bummer, and Raisel Iglesias in the fold. That changed this week when it was announced Jimenez will miss the next 8-12 months after undergoing surgery to remove cartilage in his knee. It’s possible he won’t pitch at all next season, leaving the Braves with a couple of massive voids to fill in the bullpen.
Atlanta could address those holes through free agency. There is no shortage of options available, but as we’ve seen in the past, Alex Anthopoulos prefers going through trades rather than getting in bidding wars for free agents, and there are two marquee names to keep an eye on this offseason that are expected to be moved.
Devin Williams
Entering the final year of his contract, most believe Devin Williams, the best reliever in baseball over the last five seasons, to be traded by the Brewers this offseason. Since 2020, he boasts a 1.70 ERA and 14.6 K/9 over 222.0 innings. That kind of production isn’t going to come cheap in terms of prospects, but the fact that he’s on a one-year deal makes him a little more attainable for the Braves. A week ago, I would have said there is very little chance Anthopoulos is interested in Williams, but this is a bullpen that is now littered with holes, and this is the kind of swift move that can cover up a lot of them.
Ryan Helsley
Another closer entering the final year of his contract on an NL Central team that is a long shot to make noise next year, Ryan Helsley also has a high probability of getting traded this offseason by the Cardinals. He might not be quite at the level of Williams, but he’s damn close, boasting a 1.83 ERA over the last three seasons with a 12.1 K/9.
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There aren’t too many relievers across the majors that are absolute game-changers, but Williams and Helsley are right at the top of the list. Either one of them would have the Braves bullpen looking elite going into next season without even having to make any other moves. Alex Anthopoulos has allocated a lot of resources to his relief core in each of the last few offseasons, and I’d expect him to do so again with A.J. Minter’s future uncertain and Joe Jimenez possibly out for all of next season.
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Photo: Keith Gillett/Icon Sportswire
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