ESPN ranks Braves behind only Dodgers ahead of MLB’s winter meetings

Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos and the rest of the league’s executives are descending on Dallas for the Winter Meetings, which is expected to be quite eventful once the Juan Soto domino falls.

Pitching and outfield markets will take shape soon after Soto’s free agent decision, with the Braves being impacted in more ways than one. Atlanta has obvious needs in the rotation and outfield.

With Max Fried and Charlie Morton potentially leaving the club and Spencer Strider expected miss at least the first month of the season, the rotation has to be a focal point. The Braves also shouldn’t expect things to go as perfectly as they did last season with Chris Sale, Reynaldo Lopez, and Spencer Schwellenbach.

Sale has a lengthy injury history, Lopez already had fatigue issues, and Schwellenbach has never thrown a full season’s worth of innings. Although all three were mostly healthy and productive in 2024, I wouldn’t just assume that will be the case in 2025.

As far as the outfield, it might be easier to find free agent solutions compared to the rotation, but it’s in as bleak of a state. Michael Harris II is the only healthy starter returning, with Jarred Kelenic being relegated to a bench role last year and Ronald Acuna Jr. returning from ACL surgery.

Suffice to say, Alex Anthopoulos has a lot to do this offseason, but don’t get it confused, Braves fans. This is still one of the best rosters in baseball as currently constructed, coming in ranked behind only the Dodgers in Bradford Doolittle’s stock watch ahead of the Winter Meetings.

2. Atlanta Braves

Win average: 97.2 (Run it back: 96.3, 2nd)
In the playoffs: 94.4% (Run it back: 93.0%)
Champions: 17.9% (Run it back: 16.8%)

To do: The Braves’ standing here reminds us where they stood in our assessments when 2024 began. Basically, it was an open question about whether Atlanta or the Dodgers would emerge as the dominant superteam. Injuries rendered that question moot, though in many ways it’s really impressive the Braves extended their postseason appearance streak to seven years despite everything that went wrong. Now the forecasts assume a Ronald Acuna Jr. return, a full season from Austin Riley and some positive regression from the likes of Matt Olson, Michael Harris II and Sean Murphy. But given the free agencies of Max Fried and Charlie Morton, the Braves very much need to be on the hunt for at least one frontline veteran starter. They are well positioned to land just such a player.

Though the Braves clearly have a busy offseason ahead of them, the only reason the fan base thinks the sky is falling is because of the Dodgers’ spending spree and their high expectations.

95% of fan bases around the league would be thrilled if they had Atlanta’s roster. Perspective matters, though. The Braves aren’t just trying to win the NL East or clinch their eighth consecutive postseason berth. It’s still World Series or bust, despite three straight early playoff exits.

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