As baseball’s hot stove has started to heat a bit here and there, the Braves have stayed relatively quiet. They’ve yet to make any impactful additions.
They might soon be more active — and the same goes for the rest of baseball.
The Winter Meetings are upon us. They begin Sunday and run through Wednesday in Dallas.
The Winter Meetings are, of course, a time for the baseball world to gather. In some years, the meetings have spurred action, whether that’s with trades or free-agent signings.
Could that be the case here?
Perhaps.
The Braves have multiple needs. They must add a starting pitcher — or multiple. They need to bring in an outfielder. They also have to bolster their bullpen, as they’re now trying to account for losing Joe Jiménez (knee surgery) for a significant chunk of 2025.
One potential reason for a slow market thus far: Juan Soto’s free-agent sweepstakes. When he signs, it could be the first domino to fall, the one that forces more action as teams try to pivot.
One of the players probably waiting for this: Max Fried. It seems the Braves will let the free-agent left-hander walk, if only because one might think his price has been driven up by recent starting pitching deals this offseason. Fried and Corbin Burnes are the big-name starters on the market, and if a team looking to spend doesn’t land Soto, that club could turn to Burnes or Fried.
Braves president of baseball operations and general manager Alex Anthopoulos has spent the first month of the offseason adding payroll flexibility. But for what? Well, we’ll have to see what he has in mind.
In November, Anthopoulos traded Jorge Soler. He signed Aaron Bummer to a new deal that helped free more payroll flexibility for 2025. He restructured Reynaldo López’s contract. He declined the $8 million option on Travis d’Arnaud, who’s now with the Angels. He non-tendered Ramón Laureano.
By this time last offseason, Anthopoulos already had re-signed Jiménez and Pierce Johnson, signed López and trade for Jarred Kelenic. He’s been quieter in the early part of this offseason. But that doesn’t mean he won’t address the Braves’ needs in the offseason. The Dodgers have had an early spending spree, but many other clubs have waited for the market to materialize.
For baseball fans, here’s to hoping the dam breaks in time for the Winter Meetings.
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