For the Braves, this has been the worst season ever, and a large portion of it is related to injuries.
The Atlanta Braves will not be this team next season, regardless of what occurs this one. Despite being limited by his ACL injury, Ronald Acuna Jr. will return. Austin Riley, Ozzie Albies, Spencer Strider, and any other injured players will all be back.
Max Fried and A.J. Minter are expected to test free agency, but I believe there’s a strong possibility the former decides to stay with Atlanta. The Braves have a number of pitchers fighting for a spot in the big league rotation, even though Fried might decide to walk.
The core of the lineup for the upcoming season will probably consist of Chris Sale, Reynaldo Lopez, Spencer Strider, and Spencer Schwellenbach, with Ian Anderson, Hurston Waldrep, and A.J. Smith-Shawver vying for the remaining position.
With the exception of a few positions, the majority of next year’s club has already been determined. The Braves can clearly improve at shortstop, and Willy Adames is a clear free agent target whom Robert Murray thinks may be a good match.
The fit is wonderful on paper.
Along with his slash line of.253/.334/.470 and strong shortstop defense, he leads the National League in RBI with 121. Adames’ presence in the Brewers locker room is also highly regarded, and it’s an underappreciated quality for any prospective Braves free agent target.
That’s the one that matters most to Alex Anthopoulos. But the real question is if Anthopoulos thinks highly enough of him to offer him the kind of rich deal that he will command on the free market. He’ll probably be considering a deal worth between $150 and $200 million.
The Braves don’t have many opportunities to rearrange this lineup without having to move one of their long-term contracts. The only genuine positions are left field and shortstop.
Though the Braves did sink a lot of money in Jarred Kelenic, taking on a large salary in return for the former sixth overall pick, it’s a lost cause if it doesn’t pan out. Conversely, Orlando Arcia has little trouble filling a bench position.
Seeing what Alex Anthopoulos does in the off-season will be intriguing to watch. I think the rotation will get a lot more attention if Max Fried and Charlie Morton leave, as many anticipate. However, the lineup also cannot be disregarded, particularly in light of this season.