Atlanta Braves Offseason Primer: Important Dates And Free Agent Targets

The World Series ended last night with the Dodgers defeating the Yankees in five games, meaning the MLB offseason is officially underway. Here are the important dates, free agent targets, and decisions for the Braves that you need to know.

MLB Free Agency

Technically, MLB free agency begins today, and conversations have likely already begun around the league. However, free agents cannot officially sign until November 4th at 5 PM ET. Here are some names to keep an eye on, divided into categories based on how expensive they will be this winter. I’ll also be providing links to longer write-ups on all of these Braves free agency targets.

Marquee Braves Free Agency Targets

• Max Fried
• Teoscar Hernandez
• Anthony Santander
• Blake Snell
• Willy Adames
• Tyler O’Neill

Write Up: Five Marquee Free Agency Targets For The Braves

High Upside, Short-Term Braves Free Agency Targets

• Nick Pivetta
• Walker Buehler
• Tyler O’Neill

Write Up: High Upside Free Agents That Could Become Stars For The Braves

Under The Radar Braves Free Agency Targets

• Max Kepler
• Randal Grichuk
• Matthew Boyd

Write Up: Thee Under The Radar Free Agency Targets For The Braves

MLB Option Deadline

Within five days of the World Series (November 4th), the Braves must have a decision on all of their players with options for the 2025 season, which are listed below.

• Marcell Ozuna — $16 million option, $1 million buyout
• Aaron Bummer — $7.25 million option, $1.25 million buyout
• Travis d’Arnaud — $8 million option, no buyout
• Luke Jackson — $7 million option, $2 million buyout
• Whit Merrifield — $8 million option, $1 million buyout

—

All of these decisions are rather cut and dry for Alex Anthopoulos. The Braves will pick up Marcell Ozuna, Aaron Bummer, and Travis d’Arnaud’s options. They will not be picking up the options of Luke Jackson and Whit Merrifield.

Qualifying Offers

Once again, November 4th is the deadline for teams to extend qualifying offers to their free agents. This is a one-year deal worth over $21 million for the 2025 season, but the key here is it protects the organization. If the player rejects the qualifying offer and signs elsewhere, the organization receives a compensatory draft pick. Players that receive a qualifying offer have until November 19th to accept or reject the offer.

The only Braves impending free agent that will receive a qualifying offer is Max Fried, who will surely reject the deal in search of a much longer and more lucrative contract, meaning the Braves will receive a compensatory draft pick if he signs elsewhere in free agency.

Arbitration Candidates

Here are the Brave arbitration candidates and their projected salaries, courtesy of MLB Trade Rumors. 

• Ramon Laureano — $6.1 million
• Cavan Biggio — $4.3 million
• Huascar Ynoa — $825,000
• Jarred Kelenic — $2.3 million
• Dylan Lee — $1.2 million
• Eli White — $800,000

—

If the Braves don’t want to retain any of these players, they can decide not to tender them a contract. The non-tender deadline is November 22nd.

By my estimation, the Braves will tender a contract to Jarred Kelenic, Dylan Lee, and Huascor Ynoa. The rest are likely to be non-tendered. For those that are tendered a contract, the Braves will attempt to negotiate a deal for next season before a mid-January deadline. If that deadline is reached without a contract signed, the two sides will go to arbitration court to determine the player’s salary for 2025.

Braves Impending Free Agents

• Max Fried
• A.J. Minter
• Gio Urshela
• Adam Duvall
• Jesse Chavez
• Charlie Morton

—

The Braves don’t have too many decisions to make on their own guys this offseason. Obviously, they would love to bring back Max Fried, but his price tag will determine whether that will be realistic. A.J. Minter is another guy they would like to return, and Charlie Morton could be retained if he decides to play another season. The rest will likely find new homes or retire.

Rule 5 Draft

The last important date of the offseason is the Rule 5 Draft, which takes place this year on December 11th. This allows organizations with open spots on their 40-man roster to draft players from other organizations that are eligible for the Rule 5 Draft.

Organizations can protect players by putting them on their 40-man roster. If not, any player that was signed at 18 or younger is eligible for the Rule 5 after five seasons with the club, as well as any player signed at 19 or older after just four seasons.

—

Photo: David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire

The post Atlanta Braves Offseason Primer: Important Dates And Free Agent Targets appeared first on SportsTalkATL.com.