The Braves appear to be about to make a significant move.
Over the course of the weekend, the Braves made a number of trades, including Michael Soroka and Kyle Wright, and non-tendering a league-high seven players.
Fans seem to agree in general that “Alex Anthopoulos must be cooking.” There has to be a major development in the works, am I right?
It would appear so, if you’re interested in rumors. The Braves are willing to invest in starting pitching, according to Ken Rosenthal’s earlier offseason report. This is a change from the team’s previous approach since general manager Alex Anthopoulos came over.
The Braves are regarded as “strong possibilities” for both Aaron Nola and Sonny Gray, two of the best starting pitchers in this class, according to MLB Network’s Jon Morosi. Additionally, Jeff Passan stated that MLB executives believe the Braves will sign either Sonny Gray or Aaron Nola.
If that’s the case, Sonny Gray is the only person still in the game. According to reports earlier today, Aaron Nola will return to the Phillies for a $172 million seven-year contract.
It’s unclear if Aaron Nola was Alex Anthopoulos’ first option, but Jeff Passan claims there was genuine interest.
Jon Morosi of MLB Network agreed with Passan’s assessment, even going so far as to say that the Braves are currently seen as one of the “top suitors” for Sonny Gray.
By parting ways with players like Nicky Lopez, Kyle Wright, Michael Soroka, and others, the Braves were able to save a little cash. Does that imply that something bigger is about to happen? According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, these statements imply:
Prior to the non-tender deadline on Friday, a roster purge was required. In 2024, none of the players the Braves lost were expected to have a significant impact on the team. However, here’s the catch: According to MLB Trade Rumors, the organization avoided around $14 million in expected arbitration costs overall while adding 10 spots to their 40-man roster.
This probably signals the arrival of something!
“These actions are deliberate and well-thought-out,” stated an additional agent, who wished to remain anonymous to express his open opinions. “Really, 100 percent.”
Saving a few million dollars is probably not going to be the deciding factor in whether or not the Braves can spend over $100 million on a starting pitcher. These decisions appear to be less about taking a chance on players who have a history of injuries and more about adding players to the 40-man roster who are more likely to make an impact the next season.
Having said that, fire is usually present when there is smoke. The Braves are the subject of far too many rumors from well-informed insiders for this to be a coincidence.
They are looking for a front-line starter, and while it is much easier said than done to actually sign one, Alex Anthopoulos still has a lot of choices to pick from.
