The offseason has only just begun, but the Atlanta Braves already have to adjust their needs for next season. According to Justin Toscano of the AJC, Joe Jiménez, one of the Braves setup men, had surgery on his left knee to repair cartilage damage and could be out an entire year.
News: Joe Jiménez underwent surgery on Oct. 29 to repair cartilage damage in his left knee. It was performed by Dr. Brian Cole in Chicago.
— Justin Toscano (@JustinCToscano) November 5, 2024
He is expected to be sidelined 8-12. months.
This is just another shocking injury to the 2024 fan experience, which refuses to go the Braves' way. The 29-year-old had apparently suffered during the season, but neither he nor the team realized the severity of the injury until the surgery.
This season, Jiménez was a stable force in a dominant bullpen, covering 68.2 innings with a 2.62 ERA. By fWAR, the righty was the Braves' best reliever, finishing the season with a 1.8 WAR.
How Joe Jiménez's injury changes the Atlanta Braves offseason plans
Going into the offseason, the Braves were set to lose A.J. Minter and Jesse Chavez to free agency and had decisions to make with club options on Aaron Bummer and Luke Jackson.
Bummer had two club options for 2025 and 2026, but instead of simply exercising those options, the Braves restructured the deal and signed Bummer to a two-year deal on Saturday. Additionally, Atlanta declined their option on Luke Jackson.
With these moves, the Braves had at least two bullpen spots to fill with Minter and Chavez coming off the roster, but the back of the bullpen still looked solid with Pierce Johnson, Jiménez, and Raisel Iglesias under contract for next year.
However, with Jiménez's injury, Alex Anthopoulos might be forced to make a deal with a free-agent reliever or make a move to keep Minter in a Braves uniform. This year, several former relievers are on the market, including Chris Martin, Kenley Jansen, and Kirby Yates.
Internally, Dylan Lee and Bummer could move up the depth chart in the pen, while Anthopoulos instead uses the bargain bin to find a cheaper reliever to fill the bullpen.
The Braves have already made several moves, including trading former World Series MVP Jorge Soler, and with Jiménez's injury added, it won't be shocking if we see a flurry of AA moves in the near future.