It's been an offseason full of noise and complaints from Atlanta Braves fans, and very little noise from the Braves front office. We are now entering the final week of January and the Braves have still yet to hand out a major league contract of note this winter. Considering that Atlanta cleared a bunch of payroll and would presumably like to be a top contender in 2025, this is less than ideal.
With the window to make moves closing, many around the team have reiterated the possible desire for the Braves to get under the luxury tax this offseason. Yesterday, Braves beat writer for The Athletic, David O'Brien, shared his thoughts on what Atlanta could be planning for years to come.
Some ask my take on #Braves’ inactivity. I still expect a move or two, probably via trade and hopefully not signing Scherzer when they could’ve just kept Morton at that kind of price. It seems obvious they’re determined to stay below luxury tax and reset penalties for 2026 (more)
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) January 22, 2025
David O'Brien asserts the Braves could go big in 2026 after resetting luxury tax penalties
O'Brien's entire thread is an interesting read and everyone should take a look. Before you get your torches out, he also said very clearly that he believes the Braves will make at least one move of note before the start of the 2025 season. However, most will agree with O'Brien that it's pretty evident the Braves won't be spending big this offseason at this point. Even if the club adds a couple of Major Leaguers between now and Opening Day, Atlanta has a real shot at getting under the luxury tax this season and resetting the penalties that come with that.
DOB speculated the team could view 2025 as a year to see how well players bounce back from injuries, and find out which internal candidates can step up in both the rotation and bullpen. Then in 2026, when some big time free agents like Kyle Tucker and Dylan Cease are available, the Braves could make their splash move. Perhaps the club could even get out in front of another Ronald Acuna Jr. extension.
It's a sound theory, but one that begs the question, "If the Braves aren't spending money now, why would they in 2026?" Yes, it's true that resetting the luxury tax helps the Braves in the future although it's probably a bit exaggerated as to how much it helps. It's also true the Braves could still compete with the roster as is in 2025, but the rest of the National League is very deep and obtaining a postseason berth is no guarantee.
I understand the strategy to set aside money to make trade deadline moves, but to completely ignore the glaring holes in the outfield and pitching staff is malpractice. Many have defended Alex Anthopoulos all winter, but time is ticking to bring in a Major League quality player before spring training. Some may be hopeful for a big 2026 offseason, but it would be very foolish to ignore giving yourself the best possibility of winning in 2025.