This story was excerpted from Mark Bowman’s Braves Beat publication. To learn the total publication, click on right here. And subscribe to get it usually in your inbox.
ATLANTA — Earlier than spending the subsequent few weeks and months debating what the Braves want, let’s take one other have a look at precisely what they’ve on a roster that continues to be negatively impacted by the 2024 damage bug.
Right here is the breakdown of how we will confidently mission every facet of the roster to look on Opening Day.
Beginning rotation (three locks, two open spots)Chris Sale did really throw a significant pitch in October. The aspect session he accomplished two days after the Braves had been eradicated from the postseason quieted considerations about his again being a lingering concern throughout the offseason and probably into the 2025 season.
Sale, Reynaldo López and Spencer Schwellenbach will entrance the rotation till Spencer Strider returns a few month into subsequent season. Who will fill the fourth and fifth spots throughout that span? The curiosity the Braves have proven in Nathan Eovaldi confirms they’re prepared to spend $20 million plus on a beginning pitcher. They may additionally decide so as to add a confirmed starter by way of commerce.
They’ll be relying on that acquired starter even after Strider returns from proper elbow surgical procedure. Ian Anderson, AJ Smith-Shawver, Bryce Elder and Hurston Waldrep present organizational depth. But when the Braves weren’t prepared to start out Anderson as an alternative of Smith-Shawver in Sport 1 of the NL Wild Card Collection, then why would they enter the 2025 season anticipating him being a rotation mainstay? And Smith-Shawver may even have to fortify his inventory after his efficiency in that first profession postseason begin.
Bullpen (six locks, two open spots)The latest realization that prime setup man Joe Jiménez will miss most, if not all, of subsequent season considerably modified the Braves’ offseason from a wants and monetary perspective. They want a high-leverage reliever, an asset that doesn’t essentially come low cost. They may goal a high-priced reliever or attempt to purchase low on a reliever or two who has had earlier success. The Rangers gave Kirby Yates a one-year, $4.5 million deal final winter. Yates will seemingly acquire a two-year deal price greater than $26 million this 12 months.
The Braves might be wanting so as to add to a aid corps that might start the season composing of nearer Raisel Iglesias, Pierce Johnson, Aaron Bummer, Dylan Lee, Daysbel Hernández and Grant Holmes.
Re-signing A.J. Minter would assist. However there’s nonetheless some uncertainty about when he may return to type getting back from the left hip surgical procedure he underwent in August.
Fortifying the bullpen might be one in all most influential duties of the offseason.
Catchers (one lock, one open spot)Needing to account for the extra value Jiménez’s absence will create, the Braves opted to not deliver Travis d’Arnaud again to be an $8 million backup catcher subsequent 12 months. Sean Murphy will try and bounce again and show he can nonetheless be one of many recreation’s finest catchers. His backup might be Chadwick Tromp or No. 5 prospect Drake Baldwin. Tromp is out of choices and Baldwin may benefit from persevering with to play on an on a regular basis foundation on the Triple-A degree.
Infielders (4 locks, one or two open spots)A few of you won’t like this opinion, however with all of this offseason’s different wants and prices, I feel Orlando Arcia would be the beginning shortstop once more subsequent 12 months. As a lot as you may quite have Willy Adames or Ha-Seong Kim, Arcia’s $2 million contract is likely to be the higher match, given the Braves’ better wants.
Matt Olson, Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley ought to all be within the Opening Day lineup. Whit Merrifield was a very good match this previous 12 months and might be a backup infielder candidate. Cash might be a problem prefer it was final 12 months, when Nicky López was deemed too costly at $4 million. However after seeing an excessive amount of of Zack Brief this 12 months, this isn’t a job you’ll be able to low cost.
Outfielders (three locks, one or two open spots)The Braves need to be ready to spend most or the entire season’s first two months with out Ronald Acuña Jr., who might be making an attempt to return with a surgically repaired ACL in each knees. Michael Harris II, Ramón Laureano, Jarred Kelenic and Eli White at present stand as the highest 4 inner candidates to start the season as Atlanta’s outfielders. Laureano performed effectively down the stretch this previous 12 months, however is he well worth the approximate $6 million he may acquire by way of arbitration?
So, including no less than one outfielder is likely to be the crew’s biggest want. Or is it a reliever? A starter? All of those wants will create an attention-grabbing winter.
