The Braves are targeting starting pitchers in free agency, and Nathan Eovaldi seems to be their guy.
MLB.com’s Mark Bowman kicked off the offseason reporting that Eovaldi is at the top of the Braves’ free agency wish list, and Jon Morosi reported the same more recently.
So, it makes sense that David Schoenfield of ESPN had the Braves inking a two-year, $45 million free agent contract with Eovaldi in his ‘one big move’ for every MLB team piece.
“If they do have room to make an impact signing, it’s likely to be for the rotation, with the hope the offense rebounds after a surprising freefall in 2024. Eovaldi has averaged 152 innings over the past four seasons and has had notable success in the postseason. He still projects as an impact starter — one who could make an even bigger impact in October.”
The Braves being linked to the veteran hurler makes a lot of sense. The 34-year-old won’t require a long-term deal like the other top arms on the market. Moreover, Atlanta’s rotation has been hit hard by injuries every year since their World Series run, and Eovaldi has averaged 27 starts in the last four seasons, posting a 3.76 ERA over that span. Even more so, he owns a 3.05 career ERA over 79.2 postseason innings.
That’s a lot of positives if you’re Alex Anthopoulos, and a two-year deal should be around the length he garners. Maybe a desperate club goes three years, but if Nathan Eovaldi wants a shot at his third World Series title, the desperate team is rarely the one who’s going to be competitive in October.
The Braves will be in the thick of the playoff race and can offer Eovaldi a couple of more shots at the Commissioner’s Trophy.
