Braves’ Next Moves: 3 Free Agents to Replace…
The Atlanta Braves faced an intriguing decision with Jorge Soler this offseason. As long as both Ronald Acuña Jr. and Marcell Ozuna are in the Braves lineup, the team doesn’t have a lot of use for Soler.
The problem entering 2025, though, was there’s some level of uncertainty around both Acuña and Ozuna. Acuña is recovering from a second ACL injury in the last three years, and Ozuna will be a free agent if the Braves don’t pick up his club option.
But clearly, the Braves have faith Acuña will return healthy early in the 2025 season and plan to pick up Ozuna’s option. That was made evident when the Braves agreed to ship Soler to the Los Angeles Angels for right-handed pitcher Griffin Canning.
There’s one other positive in the fallout of the Soler trade — the Braves will have about an additional $10.5 million to spend in MLB free agency. That’s roughly how much less Canning will cost than Soler in 2025, and the two teams didn’t include any cash in the trade agreement on Oct. 31.
The easy prediction is the Braves will use those extra funds to help extend left-hander Max Fried a new contract or make a different blockbuster signing such as shortstop Willy Adames.
But for the sake of argument, let’s assume that trading Soler will have no impact on Atlanta’s plans for blockbuster moves this offseason. After all, Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos told the media the team’s spending was going to increase.
Other than major deals, where else could the Braves be planning to funnel an extra $10.5 million into their roster? Here are three potential options:
Right-handed Starter Matthew Boyd
The Athletic’s Jim Bowden named the Braves one of six teams that were a “best fit” for Boyd in his top 45 free agents list last week. Bowden had Boyd ranked at No. 44 and projected him to receive a 1-year, $10 million deal.
If that’s the type of deal Boyd will receive, he’d perfectly match what the Braves are looking to spend after their Soler savings. The left-hander could help replace Fried if he departs. Signing Boyd, though, probably wouldn’t prevent the Braves from still extending Fried too.
If Atlanta managed to sign Fried and then Boyd, the latter could fill the Charlie Morton void. Morton may or may not retire.
In 2024, Boyd went 2-2 with a 2.72 ERA, 1.134 WHIP and 46 strikeouts in 39.2 innings. His innings were limited after he returned midseason from 2023 Tommy John surgery.
Relief Pitcher Blake Treinen
If Fried departs Atlanta and signs with the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers, is there a Dodgers pitcher the Braves could poach as payback? Maybe.
Should the Braves entertain doing that, Treinen could be an option. He is a 37-year-old free agent who signed a 1-year, $8 million deal to return to the Dodgers last year.
Treinen missed all of the 2023 season because of right shoulder labrum and rotator cuff repair surgery. He returned in 2024 to go 7-3 with a 1.93 ERA, 0.943 WHIP and 56 strikeouts in 46.2 innings.
The Braves could partially replace free agent A.J. Minter with Treinen in 2025.
Shortstop Paul DeJong
A blockbuster move to add a shortstop is Atlanta’s best option. Otherwise, anyone else the Braves bring in at shortstop isn’t going to be a big enough upgrade over 2023 All-Star Orlando Arcia.
But DeJong could still be an interesting free agent for Atlanta. He’s likely to be far cheaper than $10 million. Last offseason, he signed a 1-year, $1.75 million contract.
DeJong only hit .227 in 139 games last season. Arcia posted a .218 batting average.
But DeJong had 24 home runs. He’s had at least 20 bombs in three of his seven full MLB seasons, and in one of the campaigns where he didn’t, he had 19.
Arcia has never had more than 17 homers in a season.
The Braves could settle for the power upgrade with DeJong at shortstop and use the rest of the money saved from the Soler trade for Fried or another outside starting pitcher free agent such as Blake Snell.
