The Braves offseason went from cut and dry to absolutely bonkers pretty quickly thanks to a couple of new developments. The loss of Joe Jimenez for potentially the entire season is devastating and will require the Braves to add another reliever, if not multiple. The confirmation of Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr. not being ready for Opening Day is also noteworthy. It’s possible the Braves could be without them for multiple months, moving outfielders and starting pitchers up the list of Alex Anthopoulos’ priorities this offseason.
That doesn’t even include shortstop and catcher, which also could be addressed. Orlando Arcia has been a weak link since taking over as the starting shortstop for Dansby Swanson. The Braves eventually need to find a long-term answer for the position, and another catcher to replace Travis d’Arnaud, whose option was recently declined, should be considered.
Most of these have to be addressed before the start of the season, but which area is the biggest concern as the Braves offseason begins? Jim Bowden of The Athletic believes it is the rotation.
Atlanta Braves
Starting pitching
The Braves could lose both Max Fried and Charlie Morton in free agency this offseason. They’ve made several offers to Fried and will continue trying to re-sign him and hoping Morton decides to hold off on retirement. They’re also hoping Spencer Strider returns early next season from internal-brace elbow surgery and pitches like himself. More questions than answers though. Therefore, a key focus this winter will be to bring back those pitchers or replace them via free agency or trade. I also think the Braves could use an upgrade in left field.
Jim Bowden also mentions the outfield, and that’s where I think the Braves primary focus must be this offseason. Left field was a black hole for the club until Ramon Laureano arrived to save the day in the second half of the season. Laureano has one more year of arbitration left on his deal, so he could potentially be back in 2025. But if I’m the Braves, I’m not betting on Laureano to replicate his production from the second half. That was a flash in the pan, a product of a small sample size.
Additionally, right field is also a concern because of Ronald Acuña Jr.’s health. It’s very possible he misses the first few months of the season, and even when he does return, is he going to feel comfortable enough to play the outfield? The Braves aren’t just in the market for one outfielder this offseason; they should be looking to add multiple.
The rotation is a close second on my list of needs for Alex Anthopoulos, though. Even when Spencer Strider returns, there’s no telling what he’s going to look like, and durability remains a grave concern for this group. Chris Sale, even though he was healthy for most of the year, has been ravaged by injuries over his career. Reynaldo Lopez spent multiple stints on the IL due to fatigue, and Spencer Schwellenbach has still never pitched an entire season at the professional level. The Braves must add at least one starting pitcher this offseason, with two being preferable.
The bullpen is the only other need that must be addressed. Jesse Chavez, Luke Jackson, and A.J. Minter are all free agents. Those potential losses, along with Joe Jimenez, are too much lost firepower to overlook. However, it’s firmly behind the outfield and rotation in terms of priorities.
Adding another shortstop and backup catcher feels more like a luxury at this point. Sure, Orlando Arcia has been bad, but the options are scarce, and the Braves have too many other needs to spend all of their money on a guy like Willy Adames.
—
Photo: Christopher Leduc/Icon Sportswire
