Most of the Atlanta Braves' moves this offseason have been geared towards trimming payroll and adding depth on the fringes of the roster. While this has been frustrating for fans who just want the Braves to strike this offseason while the getting is good, it is also in line with what the rest of the league has been doing outside the Angels and Dodgers.
Still, it is curious that Atlanta hasn't made a bigger move yet. Alex Anthopoulos has a well-earned reputation of making moves early in whatever market he is participating in. Last offseason, the Braves went out and signed Reynaldo Lopez before Thanksgiving and the Josh Donaldson deal before the 2019 season came at the end of November.
Well, we have reached the end of November with no "big" moves out of the Braves, but that doesn't mean that Atlanta hasn't been connected to some higher end names. In fact, there has been enough chatter about the Braves being a fit for Walker Buehler that one wonders if that pursuit could be resolved soon.
The Braves are among the teams showing early interest in Walker Buehler, per @jonmorosi pic.twitter.com/vnLybnuLSG
— B/R Walk-Off (@BRWalkoff) November 15, 2024
Braves continue to be connected to Walker Buehler as Winter Meetings approach
It is hard to deny the logic from The Athletic's Andy McCullough and others that Atlanta going after Buehler makes sense. It feels increasingly likely that the Braves will be without the services of Max Fried and Charlie Morton going forward and the front office loves giving the type of short-term deals that Buehler is likely to get. Atlanta is also not afraid of a reclamation project (see: Sale, Chris) and the opportunity to buy-low on a talent like Buehler has to be tempting.
There are some problems with this plan, of course. Buehler pitched well in the postseason for the Dodgers in 2024, but his regular season numbers (5.38 ERA in 16 starts) left a lot to be desired especially including the lowest strikeout rate of his career. Many attribute Buehler's struggles to difficulties coming back from his second Tommy John surgery, but that seems more like another reason to potentially avoid him than cause for optimism that he could bounce back.
With Blake Snell off the market, it does feel like more starting pitchers could start signing very soon. In Buehler's case, if he is willing to sign an incentive laden deal for one or two years, the Braves should jump at the opportunity. However, if he is holding out for a big-time free agent payday despite his injury history and 2024 struggles, Atlanta shouldn't hesitate to pivot to other options including Nathan Eovaldi who is another popular Braves target this offseason...assuming Eovaldi remains available, of course.