The Braves have been linked to former Brewers shortstop Willy Adames a lot this offseason. He’s the best shortstop on the market, and Alex Anthopoulos has been searching for a long-term answer at the position ever since Dansby Swanson departed in free agency.

However, the bidding could potentially get too out of hand for the Braves’ liking, and it may already have. According to Mike Rodriguez, the New York Mets have a seven-year contract worth over $160 million on the table for Willy Adames, who they want to come play third base.

According to my sources, the #Mets have made an offer of over $160 million for a period of 7 years to Willy Adames. Their intention is for him to play third base; however, Adames is not convinced, as he prefers to continue in the shortstop position. He has not made a decision… pic.twitter.com/HB4JbuUHnH

— Mike Rodriguez (@mikedeportes) November 7, 2024

As Rodriguez notes, Willy Adames also has an offer on the table from the Los Angeles Dodgers.

That’s two teams that have much deeper pockets than the Braves, and from the sound of it, Adames could be one of the first marquee free agents off the board. It’s hard seeing Alex Anthopoulos competing with those offers, especially considering the Braves have so many needs to fill this offseason. They likely don’t want to put all of their eggs in one basket, even if they would ideally love to replace Orlando Arcia at shortstop.

With Willy Adames joining the Braves feeling increasingly unlikely, Ha-Seong Kim is a name to keep a close eye on moving forward. He’s about the only other starting caliber shortstop available in free agency, and he should be in line for a short-term deal as he won’t be ready for Opening Day after undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery in September.

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Photo: Kiyoshi Mio/Icon Sportswire