Braves offseason questions 2024-2025

This story was excerpted from Mark Bowman’s Braves Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.

ATLANTA — Where will Max Fried land? Is there a greater need for a starting pitcher or an outfielder? Is it better to bolster the roster via trades or free agency? How about both? These are just some of the questions the Braves will face this offseason.

Here’s a look at some key decisions:

Who are the Braves’ free agents?
Teams have exclusive negotiating rights with their free agents through the first five days following the World Series’ conclusion.

LHP Max Fried, RHP Charlie Morton, RHP Jesse Chavez, INF Whit Merrifield, INF Gio Urshela, LHP A.J. Minter, OF Adam Duvall and RHP John Brebbia

The Braves made a strong bid for Aaron Nola before he signed a seven-year, $172 million deal to remain with the Phillies last November, so they have shown a willingness to provide a long-term, lucrative deal to a top-flight pitcher north of his 30th birthday. But even before Chris Sale and Reynaldo López solidified the rotation this year, the assumption was that Fried will end up signing elsewhere.

There was also an assumption that Morton would retire, but the hurler, who will turn 41 on Nov. 12, is leaning toward pitching at least one more season. Atlanta needs some insurance for Spencer Strider, who is returning from right elbow ligament surgery, and the back end of its rotation. Morton could be an option with a one-year deal worth $10-15 million.

Re-signing Minter to a one- or two-year deal also makes sense. Sticking with the only organization the left-hander has ever known could give him comfort as he returns from the left hip surgery he underwent in August.

Merrifield seems to be the only other member of this group who could return, but the Braves wouldn’t need him as a backup infielder if they acquire a starting shortstop and move Orlando Arcia to the bench.

Who has a contract option?
Teams have up until five days after the World Series to decide which contract options will be exercised and whether any of their free agents will receive a qualifying offer.

Marcell Ozuna’s $16 million option has become a bargain as he has been one of the game’s elite offensive producers over the past two seasons.

Two days after the regular season concluded, Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said all of the Braves with contract options had put themselves in a position to return. This was the same day he said the coaching staff would stay intact. Hitting coach Kevin Seitzer, assistant hitting coach Bobby Magallanes and catching coach Sal Fasano were relieved of their duties six days later.

So, while Travis d’Arnaud’s $8 million option will likely be exercised, there’s certainly no reason to think Luke Jackson positioned himself for his $7 million option to be exercised. The biggest question is whether the Braves will exercise left-handed reliever Aaron Bummer’s $7.25 million option after he posted a 3.58 ERA over 56 appearances this season.

What about qualifying offers?
A qualifying offer must be extended to receive compensation for losing a player to free agency.

The only Braves’ candidate is Fried, who would most likely decline this year’s offer (one-year, $21.05 million) by the 4 p.m. ET deadline on Nov. 19.

Which Braves players are eligible for arbitration?
INF Cavan Biggio, OF Ramon Laureano, OF Jarred Kelenic, OF Eli White, LHP Dylan Lee, RHP Huascar Ynoa and RHP Griffin Canning

Atlanta spent approximately $17 million last winter to gain control of Kelenic for five seasons, and the club will continue to hope he realizes his potential. In the meantime, the Braves must decide what to do in left field. Laureano became their primary left fielder last season. Is it worth bringing him back with a slight raise to the $5.15 million salary he gained before the Guardians released him in May?

What are the Braves’ needs?
With uncertainty about when Strider might be ready, Atlanta will almost certainly add a starting pitcher. The target would likely be to gain a short-term deal with Morton or another proven starter willing to take a short-term deal.

With Strider, Sale, López and Spencer Schwellenbach, the Braves have the base for a strong rotation. Ian Anderson, Bryce Elder, AJ Smith-Shawver and Hurston Waldrep provide options for the fifth spot. Still, you can never have enough pitching, especially when you’re a team that has had to scrape to find a starting pitcher for at least one game during each of the past three postseasons.

Ronald Acuña Jr. will return from his latest major knee surgery within the first couple months of the 2025 season. He and Michael Harris II provide the base for a strong outfield trio. But can you really depend on Laureano and Kelenic to serve as left fielders next year?

Finding another outfielder might not be a need, but it should certainly be a want, especially now that they gained financial flexibility by moving the $13 million salary Soler was owed for each of the next two seasons.

Other key offseason dates
Nov. 4-7: GM Meetings in San Antonio, Texas

Dec. 9-11: Winter Meetings in Dallas, including the MLB Draft lottery (Dec. 10) and the Rule 5 Draft (Dec. 11)

Jan. 10, 2025: Eligible players and their teams exchange arbitration figures