DALLAS — Juan Soto returned to the Nationwide League East. Max Fried acquired his anticipated riches elsewhere. And the Braves exited this 12 months’s Winter Conferences with the identical wants that they had when the annual occasion started on Sunday.
Essentially the most vital improvement for the Braves could have been Nathan Eovaldi’s reported choice to stay with the Rangers on a three-year, $75 million contract. Eovaldi had been excessive on Atlanta’s want record. However there was all the time cause to surprise if the want was vital sufficient to offer three years to a virtually 35-year-old pitcher who has made 30-plus begins in a season simply twice in his profession.
Fried gained monetary safety through the eight-year, $218 million cope with the Yankees he reportedly agreed to on Tuesday. The 2021 World Collection hero will all the time be an Atlanta sports activities legend. However the assumption over the previous two years was that he would finally notice the identical destiny as his mates and former Braves teammates Freddie Freeman and Dansby Swanson.
OutfielderThough a timetable hasn’t been introduced, the expectation is Ronald Acuña Jr. (left ACL tear) will miss a minimum of the primary six weeks of the 2025 season. So if the season had been to start out right this moment, the Braves’ outfield may include Michael Harris II, Jarred Kelenic and fill-in-the-blank. In different phrases, there’s an absolute want to seek out any person who may be an on a regular basis outfielder till Acuña returns. However the goal must be somebody who might stay a daily choice after the 2023 NL MVP returns.
If Kelenic finds the consistency that has eluded his recreation, he could possibly be the membership’s on a regular basis left fielder all through the season. However given his inconsistencies over the previous few years, it appears the Braves can be sensible to land an outfielder who fills the left-field spot regularly, within the occasion that Kelenic doesn’t make progress in 2025.
Beginning pitcherChris Sale, Reynaldo López and Spencer Schwellenbach will entrance the rotation till Spencer Strider returns from proper elbow surgical procedure close to the tip of April. Sale, López and Schwellenbach had been three of the sport’s high starters final 12 months. However every of them additionally surpassed expectations from a sturdiness standpoint.
So the Braves could wish to add a confirmed starter who might present insurance coverage even after Strider returns. A reunion with Charlie Morton may make sense, particularly if the 41-year-old pitcher is prepared to take a one-year deal price roughly $10 million.
Reduction pitcherThe most crushing information of the offseason was delivered when the Braves discovered Joe Jiménez will miss most, if not all, of the 2025 season whereas recovering from left knee surgical procedure. Pierce Johnson, Jiménez and free agent A.J. Minter had been Atlanta’s high high-leverage relievers final 12 months. Who will crew with Johnson in 2025 stays a query. Minter might return so long as there’s confidence he’s bodily high quality after present process left hip surgical procedure. Daysbel Hernández is an inside risk who will likely be given an opportunity to show he generally is a high-leverage choice. However the answer can also come through the handful of relievers who might come to camp with a Minor League deal, simply trying to show they belong in a giant league bullpen.
The Braves took right-handed pitcher Anderson Pilar from the Marlins within the first spherical of the Main League section of the Rule 5 Draft on Wednesday after which took shortstop Christian Cairo from the Guardians within the second spherical. Every choice price $100,000, and the gamers should stay on the energetic 26-man roster all of subsequent season. Earlier than being despatched again to the Minors, the participant would want to clear waivers after which be provided again to his former membership for $50,000.
Pilar posted a 2.64 ERA whereas finishing 58 innings mixed throughout the Excessive-A, Double-A and Triple-A ranges final 12 months. He had 71 strikeouts and simply 13 walks.
Cairo produced a .680 OPS and was profitable on 26 of 30 stolen base makes an attempt whereas enjoying on the Double-A and Triple-A ranges final 12 months. The Clearwater, Fla., native was taken by Cleveland within the fourth spherical of the 2019 MLB Draft.
“There’s simply so many locations we are able to get higher, particularly if you take a look at the entire accidents we’ve had. Depth is all the time vital as effectively. We’re open to every part. Bullpen, offense, rotation. We’ve had conversations about all three areas. I don’t know what we’ll give you by the point the winter is over, however we’re open to including all three.” — Basic supervisor Alex Anthopoulos
