The Atlanta Braves were rumored to be quite interested in signing Milwaukee Brewers free agent shortstop Willy Adames, but Atlanta has come up short. Adames has agreed to terms on a deal with the San Francisco Giants worth nearly $200 million.
Atlanta will need to turn its attention to other infielders to fill the shortstop role as Orlando Arcia’s struggles peaked in 2024. While there isn’t a perfect option available, the Braves could explore some unconventional players to fill this spot.
FanSided’s Christopher Kline has an unconventional idea. Kline recently urged Atlanta to pursue Houston Astros free agent Alex Bregman. Bregman is projected to sign a four-year, $119 million deal in free agency, per Spotrac, but that number will reportedly be closer to $200 million.
“We should preface this by saying it almost definitely won’t happen, but there’s a strong case for Alex Bregman as a top Braves target,” Kline wrote. “His price tag could match or exceed Adames’ $182 million, so tread carefully, but Bregman is a two-time Word Series champ with almost a decade of postseason experience under his belt. For an Atlanta team looking to reach the mountaintop, that ought to be appealing.”
The obvious problem here is positions. Bregman isn’t a shortstop, though he’s reportedly open to changing positions if the right fit lines up. In Atlanta, Bregman could slot in at second base and Ozzie Albies could slide over to shortstop.
The Braves have a problem at shortstop, but I’m not sure if it’s worth a $200 million commitment to Bregman, who’s already 30 years old. I expect teams like the Astros, New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers, and New York Mets to be too aggressive after Bregman for the Braves to be able to keep up.
