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After finishing with an MLB-best 104 wins and tying the league record with 307 home runs in a season, the Atlanta Braves entered the postseason as obvious World Series favorites. Instead, facing NL East rivals the Philadelphia Phillies in the divisional round, the Braves struggled. The team put up just eight runs across four games as the Phillies took the series 3-1.
Fortunately for Atlanta, this team is built to last. The core of this squad is under contract for many years to come, and the Braves will likely enter 2024 as World Series favorites again. After their early playoff exit, here are some free agents the club can sign to boost its championship push next season.
Blake Snell (San Diego Padres), Aaron Nola (Philadelphia Phillies)
While the Atlanta offense set records for home runs, the Braves pitching staff was a little more fallible, ranking 17th in starting pitching ERA. The starting rotation also faces a lot of uncertainty next year. Kyle Wright is out for 2024 after shoulder surgery, Charlie Morton — a free agent this winter — will be 40 by the start of the season, and Michael Soroka will also be dealing with injury issues in the off-season. Max Fried will finally be healthy, but this lack of depth puts considerable pressure on youngsters Bryce Elder and Jared Shuster.
The Braves could use an elite pitcher to go alongside Spencer Strider and Max Fried, and the market is ripe with starting pitchers this year. Blake Snell is the NL Cy Young favorite and ranks second in the NL behind Strider in strikeouts with 234. His 2.25 ERA on the season is an impressive mark considering that he had a 5.40 ERA through his first nine starts. With the San Diego Padres in limbo this offseason, the team could choose to not re-sign Snell, who will be one of the biggest free agents this offseason. Like Blake Snell, Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola is another 30-year-old who has great stuff — as evidenced by five consecutive full seasons with 200-plus strikeouts — but his ERA during that span is a rather normal 3.65. Nola would slot in as a fearsome third starter behind Strider and Fried.
Other options available include Detroit Tigers lefty Eduardo Rodriguez, Minnesota Twins veteran Sonny Gray, and Los Angeles Dodgers start Julio Urios. All three would be great additions to a Braves starting rotation that is not up to par with the rest of the team.
Joc Pederson (San Francisco Giants), Lourdes Guriel Jr. (Arizona Diamondbacks)
Left field was just one of two positions where the Braves had a negative WAR in 2023 (the other being shortstop). Eddie Rosario had a strong season at the plate (21 homers and 74 RBI) but was not great in the field, while Kevin Pillar had an OPS of just .664. While not exceptionally deep, the free agent market for left fielders has a few players that would slot in as above-average starters for the Braves.
The first is San Francisco Giants outfielder Joc Pederson. Statistically, he did not have a great season at the plate, batting .235 with 15 homers across 121 games, but advanced metrics show that Pederson was in the 96th percentile for hard-hit percentage and the 84th percentile in expected slugging. Put him in a hitter-friendly lineup in Atlanta, and Pederson could become the masher he once was in Los Angeles with the Dodgers. Also available is Diamondbacks left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr., one of the most underrated outfielders in the league. Gurriel is coming off his first All-Star appearance, finishing with 24 homers and 82 RBI while ranking in the 89th percentile in arm value while in the field.
Both players would offer upgrades in left field for Atlanta, improving one of the few weaknesses in the team.
