The Atlanta Braves could have made a more convincing bid for free-agent outfielder Joc Pederson, who is well-known in Cobb County for his involvement in the team’s 2021 World Series victory. Reunions rarely go as planned, but the Braves needed an outfielder, and Pederson needed a team.
Why wouldn’t they consider teaming together again? Pederson recorded 2.9 WAR in 2024, his highest season in that category since 2016 with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Joc spent the season with the Arizona Diamondbacks, playing both corner outfield positions at times. The Braves lack depth at the position, particularly with Ronald Acuña Jr. still rehabbing from a season-ending knee injury.
I’m not one to question Alex Anthopoulos too much – he is one of baseball’s top front office executives, after all – but the Braves’ lack of movement this winter has been unusual to say the least. As the Mets and Phillies expand their rosters, Atlanta falls behind. Missing out on Pederson hurts, but bringing back some familiar people would be a nice place for Anthopoulos to begin.
Charlie Morton should play his last seasons with the Braves. Charlie Morton is not the same pitcher he once was. Last season, Morton was a liability around the end of September and couldn’t be counted on to be a part of the playoff rotation. Still, after losing Max Fried to the New York Yankees, the Braves are confident in Morton’s abilities. Uncle Charlie had an ERA of more than four during his 40th season. It wasn’t always nice, but Morton is a reliable back-of-the-rotation arm, which the Braves need.
According to Braves insider Mark Bowman, Morton is considering returning for at least one more season. He’d be a cheap and efficient rotation option for Atlanta, which lacks major-league depth at the position. The Braves need that depth the most early in the season, when Morton should be fresh, as they wait for Spencer Strider to return from Tommy John surgery.
Jason Heyward is the fourth outfielder the Braves have been looking for.
Jason Heyward was formerly the Braves’ top prospect, regarded as one of baseball’s best young batters. That was a long time ago, and Heyward is nearing the end of his major league career, having spent the vast bulk of it away from Atlanta. Heyward’s most recent appearances in Los Angeles and Houston yielded 3.1 WAR in two seasons of part-time play. That is not insignificant, as Heyward is still very capable defensively, which was always his calling card in his early years. Heyward has struggled at the plate at times, batting.211/.288/.412 in 2024 with the Dodgers and Astros respectively. That is not what he is recognized for at this stage of his career.
Signing Heyward would not move the needle much for the Braves, as Anthopoulos still has to make a significant splash. However, it may buy the shrewd general manager some time as he seeks for the perfect players to complete this club.
If the Braves require bullpen aid, Kenley Jansen is available.
Kenley Jansen’s accomplishments at this stage of his career are quite impressive. Jansen is 37 years old and remains one of baseball’s most trustworthy closers. The Braves don’t strictly need one of those, as Raisel Iglesias is coming off an excellent season (34 saves and a 1.95 ERA), but adding Jansen to the back end of the bullpen would charge the battery to full capacity.
The Braves need help in the bullpen, though not as much as they need starting pitching and outfielders. However, a solid bullpen can help Atlanta disguise its rotation issues early in the season while Strider recovers. Adding Jansen to the mix of Iglesias, Joe Jimenez, Aaron Bummer, and Pierce Johnson makes facing the Braves with a late-inning disadvantage nearly impossible. Jansen spent the 2022 season with the Braves, when he set a career best 41 saves. While it’s unlikely he’ll play the same role this time, Jansen’s familiarity with Atlanta makes this a natural fit.
About The Author
