This Budget-Level Offseason Could Work for Atlanta Braves

If the Atlanta Braves do want to get under the luxury tax, they could still make these moves to improve the team for 2025.

In this episode, we’ll look at several budget options for this offseason and discuss the Dodgers signing of Blake Snell.


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[eros]

Happy Thanks Givings day for all of you I hope you have a great time with your beloved ones.

[danielwetzel]

Jake you keep up with our Minors way more than I do…would you say we are heading for a rebuild in the next five years?
If so I say we truly go in win now mode

[Jackson]

Happy Thanksgiving to you and ya family Jake... Appreciate you keeping us up to date during the dreaded off-season.

[wujujuju]

if dodgers get Sasaki I wont be watching a single mlb game next year

[jeffreyhumphries-jwfo]

If we get back under the luxury tax and reset we can then afford to give Ronald and Ozzie new extensions plus add a couple players as needed. GO BRAVES

[donaldmackerer]

Why don't the Braves go after Walker Buehler?

[acgonzales]

I've grown more open to your idea of trading Jimenez. 18m for 1 - 1.5 seasons is tough. Attaching a prospect to him and Fletcher could open about 15m. That pays for a setup man and an outfielder plus they still have the current funds leftover for a starter.

[juliec]

My thought. They stay under the luxury tax this coming season to reset. Ozuna’s money comes off the book for the 2026 season so you go after the players you really want then

[joacquincornejo]

Dear Jake...Why isnt Atlanta doing what LA and offering contracts with Deferred Money? That way we can acquire a big star...Or rather Retain our own...Freeman, Swanson, etc...and stay Under the Luxury Tax

[eros]

Jake, I don’t know about that trade, Kelly is 36 years old and coming from a shoulder injury giving up either one Mejia or Waldrep for him alone seems like an overpay to me. In addition, they’re essentially swapping Merrill Kelly’s salary—a veteran pitcher they need—for Fletcher's contract, someone who's currently untouchable given the uncertainty and the risk around him because of the ongoing MLB investigation. If I’m Arizona, I’m not making this trade unless I’m getting more in return. Arizona needs another asset, an MLB-ready pitcher, someone who can immediately help their playoffs aspirations. José Quintana could be an option he could cost you 9-10 million. Ultimately you might get a comparable performance from Ian Anderson who I think the Braves will give every opportunity to win a spot in the rotation next year. The Braves would do it in a hurry.

[ShaneColeman-nw]

What about Tyler O’Neill or Cody Bellinger for the fielder and Walker Bueller?

[juliec]

They don’t care about deferred money. They make more off of their player in advertising deals, memorabilia and ticket sales

[MassBoost]

Another name that might be really good if the Braves are trying to get under the luxury tax and are working with a budget, might be Spencer Turnbull. Since 2020 he has produced a 3.84 ERA, 3.78 FIP, and 4.24 xFIP, has had a 50.9% ground ball rate during that time, 21.9% strikeout rate, 9.4% walk rate, and 1.22 WHIP, while having a 6 pitch mix. He's projected at $4.4 to $5mil by 2 sources, after pitching last year at only $2mil, so he should be relatively cheap. I think if the Braves work with his pitch selection, he might be even better at striking out people, and he wasn't bad at that last year striking out batters at a 26.1% clip last year.

[chadlockhart]

It won’t likely happen, but AA should get into the Japanese pitcher market and could do so with some payroll value. Everyone is focused on Roki Sasaki, and the Braves should enter those sweepstakes as well (if he applies against the December 15th International FA bonus budget) but I’d put my initial focus on Tomoyuki Sugano. Right now, he is mostly on the Angels and SF radar and West Coast teams might have an advantage, but at 35 years old he still has good stuff and is a legend in JPB. He is expected to only be a 1 - 2 year deal at $12-15m per. Could fit into the Charlie Morton slot. Sugano has been one of Japan’s best pitchers of the last decade, posting a 2.43 ERA over 12 seasons and 1857 innings. While not a big strikeout pitcher, he has exceptional control, with only a 4.68% walk rate over his entire NPB career. Sugano’s long list of career plaudits includes two Central League MVP Awards, two Sawamura Awards as NPB’s top pitcher, and eight All-Star nods. Even in his age-34 season, Sugano still excelled in 2024, with a 1.67 ERA over 156 2/3 innings. As a career member of Japan’s most popular team (Yomiuri Giants), he will come to MLB with a strong following and that will mean merchandise in a new market for the Braves. Having an older Japanese pitcher on the roster might be a draw that Sasaki would consider. Sasaki is going to be a bargain for someone.

[jacknorton]

I’m cool with a saving money year, maybe let some of the younger guys earn a real spot…

[robertblackman]

If the Dodgers can spend the money why not the Braves

[Ewe-ptjw]

You can stay close to under the luxury tax if you give Eovaldi a 3 year deal of around $16M. Trade for Helsley and Donovan from the Cardinals. That’s around $27M.

[ShaneColeman-nw]

I think we should we should never traded Caleb Durban. We should go back and get some money that we traded from the Yankees.

[Broglesby]

If the Braves didn't lose 2k per game last year in attendance, I could have seen AA just saying screw the penalty and going for it. That didn't happen and revenue dropped while expenses increased due to the big time penalty for going over 3 years in a row.

[BravesFan-qk]

Get Donovan he can play outfield and shortstop