The Atlanta Braves were cursed with the injury bug during the 2024 season. They saw major injuries to their two best players, Ronald Acuña Jr. and Spencer Strider, while also having down years from a majority of the roster. Anything that could go wrong, did go wrong.
Now they get a fresh reset though. Heading into free agency, the Braves now have a fresh start with the ability to bolster their roster while their stars heal up.
The biggest need on the Braves roster is in the outfield and on the pitching staff.
The Athletic’s Jim Bowden sees it the same way, though Bowden likes to emphasize the need to acquire pitching in free agency.
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“The Braves could lose both Max Fried and Charlie Morton in free agency this offseason. They’ve made several offers to Fried and will continue trying to re-sign him and hoping Morton decides to hold off on retirement,” Bowden wrote. “They’re also hoping Spencer Strider returns from Tommy John surgery next season and pitches like himself. More questions than answers though. Therefore, a key focus this winter will be to bring back those pitchers or replace them via free agency or trade.”
As Bowden states, both Charlie Morton and Max Fried are free agents. While Fried has been rumored to be at the top of the Braves’ priority list, it’s unclear if they’re focused on bringing Morton back as well.
The good news for the Braves is that there are a lot of talented starting pitchers available in free agency.
The bad news for the Braves is that these pitchers will be heavily pursued by a lot of different teams, including division rivals New York Mets, Washington Nationals and Philadelphia Phillies.
Atlanta cannot afford to miss on Fried, Morton, and the other top starting pitchers in free agency.
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