The following Braves move, or lack thereof, is viewed as what could be their biggest regret later on.
The Atlanta Braves’ offseason stood out in their division in an unfavorable way.
Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report compiled a list of each division’s offseason decisions that may backfire. For the National League East, he went with the Braves’ decision to do nothing. To be honest, their inaction on pitching depth has resulted in their current situation.
Some credit is given for the signing of outfielder Jurickson Profar.
The problem is that the Braves have lost Max Fried, Charlie Morton, and AJ Minter, and the front staff has not responded.
“And what has Atlanta added to combat that attrition?” Miller had written: “Unless Profar learned how to pitch this winter, virtually nothing.”
Miller cited Davis Daniel, whom the Braves acquired in a small trade with the Angels in December, as the most significant pitching acquisition of the winter. With a 5.03 ERA in 42 2/3 career innings, expectations are low.
Spence Strider’s homecoming was acknowledged. This will surely make a difference when he returns. At that time, the Braves will have a solid rotation. However, following last year’s injury issues, Miller is not a supporter of the Braves remaining with their current roster.
“Atlanta is throwing caution to the wind by putting all of its eggs in the “both Chris Sale and Reynaldo López will stay healthy” basket,” Miller said. “Both were masterful in 2024, but there are undeniable durability concerns there.”
If the Braves stick with simply Profar this offseason, they’ll have to hope someone in the system works out. Spencer Schwellenbach was an excellent example of how this can work. However, some examples, such as Hurston Waldrep, produced the exact opposite outcome.
If a prospect isn’t ready to take action, it won’t be pretty.
As easy as it is to blame the Braves for their lack of acquisitions this winter, it is not a lack of action that could backfire. It’s a lack of ability to outbid other teams for acquisitions, as well as bad luck.
Perhaps the Braves will regret not outbidding the Phillies for starting pitcher Jesús Luzardo. Perhaps Jeff Hoffman’s shoulder won’t matter in the end, and they lost out on a valuable addition to their pitching staff.
There’s a lot more to it than the Braves’ failure to address pitching and subsequent regret. However, the story is now set in stone. The offseason was quiet for a while as rivals made noise, and we’ll have to wait and see how much that matters in the end.
