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Aside from that, not a lot has occurred this week.
Two days after the Braves have been eradicated from the Nationwide League Wild Card Collection, president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos mentioned Acuña and Strider would possible return in some unspecified time in the future throughout the first two months of the season. There was nonetheless some hope that one or each may very well be prepared by Opening Day.
As for Jiménez, he battled knee discomfort down the stretch, however ideas of him lacking important time subsequent yr didn’t exist till it was realized how a lot cartilage harm there was in his left knee.
However current medical updates have been as promising as the various others that depleted the Braves all through this previous season.
As Anthopoulos talked to reporters on the Basic Managers Conferences this week, he dominated out the potential for Acuña and Strider being prepared initially of subsequent season. This revelation got here as Braves followers have been digesting the truth that Jiménez will want 8-12 months of restoration after present process left knee surgical procedure.
Whether or not Acuña misses the season’s first two months or only one month whereas recovering from his second main knee surgical procedure in three years, there’s now a better want to search out an outfielder. Michael Harris II, Jarred Kelenic, Ramón Laureano and Eli White presently stand as the highest inner outfield candidates. Even when Acuña would have been prepared for the beginning of the season, there would have been motive to query whether or not Laureano and Kelenic have been the most effective choices in left area.
If Strider misses one or two months, the Braves might want to account for his absence from a rotation that’s already shedding the 59 mixed begins free brokers Max Fried and Charlie Morton gave the membership final yr.
And the Jiménez intestine punch created the necessity to add one other high-leverage reliever. The addition of those surprising offseason wants has enhanced how a lot the Braves might want to spend this winter. Sadly for d’Arnaud, this altered the staff’s plan for him.
The Braves erased an $8 million value by declining d’Arnaud’s possibility. They saved $6.75 million final weekend, when Reynaldo López and Aaron Bummer agreed to new offers that present them a decrease wage in 2025, however a bigger assure over the lifetime of their respective contracts.
Saving $15 million initially of the offseason enhances Anthopoulos’ choices as he evaluates the potential for including to his rotation, bullpen and outfield combine.
“That is why it was so vital for us to have flexibility on the outset of the offseason, as a result of there’s lots of various things we have to work via,” Anthopoulos mentioned. “So, as we collect in data, work via commerce choices and work via completely different choices in free company, we’ll begin to piece issues collectively and have a greater sense of what we’ll do to deal with our staff wants.”
