When the Atlanta Braves began their offseason with salary dump after salary dump, there was reason to believe that Alex Anthopoulos had something big in store. The Braves shed tens of millions off of their 2025 payroll, it only makes sense for them to reinvest that money into the team, right?
The Winter Meetings felt like the optimal time for Anthopoulos to make at least one major move. That’s when the markets in both free agency and in trades are at their most active. Unfortunately, the Braves did virtually nothing for the days they were in Dallas.
To make matters worse, the Winter Meetings were when Max Fried ended up signing elsewhere. This was always the expectation, and it’s not as if the Braves ever would’ve (or should’ve) matched the deal he got from the New York Yankees, but seeing a star leave in free agency while the team did nothing is certainly frustrating.
What Alex Anthopoulos has done during his time in Atlanta makes Braves fans give him the benefit of the doubt, and for good reason, but his slow start to the offseason and inactive Winter Meetings have fans questioning him. These are three mistakes that he made during the busiest time of the offseason that have some Braves fans questioning him.
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It was reported as the Winter Meetings were wrapping up that a Braves reunion for Charlie Morton felt unlikely. Morton has given the impression that he’d like to pitch in what would be his age 41 season, but if he does, there’s reason to believe it won’t be in a Braves uniform. That feels like a mistake.
Is Morton an ace? No, of course not. Is he what he once was, even a couple of years ago? No. He is, however, as solid as they come when discussing back-end starters. He might not have the electric strikeout stuff that he once did, and his age is a bit of a concern, but Morton has made at least 30 starts and thrown at least 160 innings in each of his last four seasons since he returned for his second stint in Atlanta. He’s made at least 30 starts with at least 160 innings pitched in the last six full seasons (excluding 2020). He has an ERA above 4.20 in just one of those seasons.
Command can elude him at times, and his FIP was a bit high this past season, but he was one of just 55 pitchers to throw at least 165 innings this past season. He’s tied for seventh in starts and 13th in innings pitched since returning to Atlanta. That kind of reliability is just so hard to find nowadays, and Morton appears to be an ageless wonder.
Not wanting to bring him back on a big deal would make sense, but Morton at age 41 almost certainly isn’t looking for anything more than a one-year deal. Considering the fact that guys like Grant Holmes, Ian Anderson, AJ Smith-Shawver, and Hurston Waldrep are competing for two spots in Atlanta’s Opening Day rotation, pursuing Morton should be a priority, especially with how expensive starting pitching is. Ignoring him in favor of the in-house options is setting Atlanta up for disaster.
2) Alex Anthopoulos deserves heat for one FA miss in particular
As mentioned above, the prices in free agency, particularly when it comes to starting pitching, are outrageous. The Braves were never going to give Fried what he got. They were never going to give Blake Snell the deal he got from the Los Angeles Dodgers. Even on the trade market, as awesome as acquiring Garrett Crochet would’ve been, the Braves don’t have the farm system to top what the Boston Red Sox gave up.
One deal that felt reasonable, though, especially considering the market, is the three-year, $75 million deal that Nathan Eovaldi signed with the Texas Rangers. Three years for a 34-year-old who has battled some injuries in the past might be a bit steep, and he might’ve prioritized a return to Texas, but that $25 million AAV in this market looks very reasonable.
Eovaldi is an arm with a ton of experience both in the regular season and postseason under his belt, and he felt like a reasonable pivot once the Braves lost Max Fried. He didn’t come with any qualifying offer compensation and has thrown at least 145 innings in each of the last four seasons (combining regular season and postseason). Now, with Eovaldi off the market, where exactly do the Braves turn? If they sign or trade for a starter, it’s hard to believe they’ll find one for better value than what the Rangers got with Eovaldi.
The Braves did nothing at the Winter Meetings. While yes, most of the deals signed might’ve been overpayments, doing nothing will only make it harder for Anthopoulos to do something.
Anthopoulos is known to be a bit of a bargain hunter. He typically shies away from splashy free agency signings. Instead, he makes his money primarily on the trade market, acquiring stars and going on to sign them to team-friendly extensions. In his defense, it has worked in his favor, and for all we know, he might have a move ready to go at any moment. Still, he’s going to have to make that move for Braves fans to believe it’s truly there.
By waiting, prices are only going to get higher for the major additions as supply lands elsewhere. If Anthopoulos wouldn’t pull the trigger on a move in the Winter Meetings, who’s to say he will when there are fewer options out there?
If anyone is going to find a bargain, it’s Anthopoulos. Still, doing nothing because of the high prices when prices will likely only increase as the big-name supply comes off the board makes it less likely that Anthopoulos will make a move for a needle-mover when that should be his main goal.
