3 free agents the Braves should target, 3 they should avoid

With the 2024 season having now officially come to an end for the Atlanta Braves, the focus for the organization now shifts toward what could be a very important offseason for the club.

This offseason, the Braves have a few key players set to hit free agency such as Max Fried and A.J. Minter, with the current status as to if each will return to Atlanta an unknown at the moment. Along with this, Atlanta will likely look to add to the roster elsewhere via free agency and trades, with many names certainly intriguing options entering the offseason.

Here are three free agents that the Braves should target this offseason, as well as three that the club should avoid going after:

3 free agents the Atlanta Braves should target, 3 they should avoid

Should: Willy Adames, Shortstop

The Braves could be in play for a shortstop this offseason. Undoubtedly the biggest free agent at the position is Willy Adames, who is in the midst of a career year with the Milwaukee Brewers. Owning a pair of 30+ HR seasons dating back to 2022, Adames slashed a combined .251/.331/.462 with 32 HR, 112 RBI, and 21 SB across 161 games during the regular season, and would be an upgrade at what was offensively a position of need for Atlanta in 2024.

Should Not: Justin Verlander, Right-Handed Pitcher

The Braves will likely be in a position to sign a veteran starting pitcher at some point this offseason, but Verlander will likely not be on that list of targets. Verlander, a three-time Cy Young Award winner, had a down year with the Houston Astros this past season where he owned a 5-6 record with a 5.48 ERA and a 74:27 K/BB ratio across 90.1 IP, and will be entering his age 42 campaign in 2025.

Should: Tanner Scott, Left-Handed Pitcher

A free-agent target that we have discussed before, the Braves should certainly have Tanner Scott on their radar this offseason as one of the top left-handed relief options available. The first-time All-Star had one of the best regular seasons of his MLB career so far in 2024, owning a combined 9-6 record with a 1.75 ERA, an 84:36 K/BB ratio, and 22 saves between the Miami Marlins and San Diego Padres.

Should Not: Cody Bellinger, Outfielder

Holding a player option for 2025 and 2026, there is a chance that Bellinger does not even make it to free agency this offseason, but if he does, then the Braves should likely look to upgrade offensively elsewhere. Since winning the NL MVP in 2019, Bellinger has only posted one .800+ OPS season since and is coming off a 2024 campaign in which he slashed .266/.325/.426 with 18 HR, 78 RBI, and nine SB across 130 games with the Chicago Cubs.

Should: Anthony Santander, Outfielder

The last name the Braves should target is Anthony Santander, who would provide an immediate upgrade in left field coming off a career year with the Baltimore Orioles. A first-time All-Star in 2024, Santander was one of baseball's top home run hitters during the regular season, slashing .235/.308/.506 with 44 HR and 102 RBI, both of which were career-highs.

Should Not: Ha-Seong Kim, Shortstop

Lastly, the Braves could be in play for a shortstop as mentioned above with Adames, with Ha-Seong Kim likely not a name on that list. Kim slashed .233/.330/.370 with 11 HR, 47 RBI, and 22 SB across 121 games with the San Diego Padres this season. However, he missed some time due to injury and has not posted an OPS north of .750 in his four-year MLB career. He also recently switched over to the Boras Corporation to represent him, making negotiations even harder.