Report: Braves targeting Nathan Eovaldi in free agency

According to Braves beat reporter Mark Bowman of MLB.com, Alex Anthopoulos has his eyes on one of the best starting pitchers on the market, two-time All-Star Nathan Eovaldi.

“Nathan Eovaldi ranks near the top of the Braves’ wish list, according to an industry source,” Bowman writes.

Mark Bowman is one of the most well-connected people in the media when it comes to the Braves. Not many people are capable of seeing what’s going on behind the curtain when it comes to Alex Anthopoulos’ operation. The Braves are notoriously one of the most tight-knit organizations when it comes to concealing information regarding free agents or trades. However, occasionally, there is a leak, and this is one that’s very intriguing.

When looking at the landscape of the Braves’ needs, starting pitching is closer to the bottom of the list than the top. Shortstop has been a glaring weakness since the departure of Dansby Swanson in free agency. The Braves could possibly look to add multiple corner outfielders, and the bullpen just became a much more pressing need after it was revealed yesterday that Joe Jimenez will be out for 8-12 months following knee surgery.

However, needs are only part of the equation when it comes to free agency. More importantly, the value has to add up. Chasing needs by throwing money at the problem is how bad organizations stay bad. Sometimes, it’s better to add to a position of strength, and Nathan Eovaldi would certainly be doing that.

The 34-year-old hurler is coming off a season in which he posted a 3.80 ERA, 1.107 WHIP, and 8.8 K/9 over 29 starts for the Rangers. He was an All-Star the year before that and has notoriously been a horse in October, boasting a 3.05 ERA over 79.2 postseason innings. That kind of production has helped two different teams to the Commissioner’s Trophy, the Rangers in 2023 and the Red Sox in 2018, when he was teammates with current Braves ace Chris Sale.

Pairing Nathon Eovaldi back with Sale, along with Spencer Schwellebach, Spencer Strider, and Reynaldo Lopez would undoubtedly give the Braves the most potent rotation in baseball. Eovaldi is also a more cost-efficient option than Max Fried. Even if their AAVs are similar, Eovaldi will be looking for a 2-3 year deal, while Fried will end up signing a contract for at least five years. The former is much more Alex Anthopoulos’ cup of tea, making Eovaldi a free agent to watch this winter.

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Photographer: John Adams/Icon Sportswire

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