While not the biggest name on the Atlanta Braves' roster, reliever AJ Minter was a critical piece of some really great Braves teams. Minter basically put the team on his back in 2020 postseason and had some massive performances during Atlanta's 2021 World Series run. In 384 appearances with the Braves, Minter gave them a 3.28 ERA with 422 strikeouts in 348.2 IP. At the end of the day, the guy just got out and did his job.
Unfortunately, his potential final season as a Brave wasn't up to Minter's lofty standards. He pitched great when he was on the mound, but a hip injury put Minter on the shelf and he ultimately needed surgery to repair the problem which cut his tenure with Atlanta short.
Heading into the offseason, both the Braves and Minter have expressed interest in a reunion, but Minter's injury clouded the picture significantly and there has been little word about progress towards a return. Now, the Winter Meetings are in full gear and it sounds like Minter is one of the hottest relievers on the free agent market right now.
A.J. Minter is one of the most popular free agent LH relievers among teams at the @MLB Winter Meetings.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) December 9, 2024
The Braves would like to bring him back, and the Cubs and Rangers are among the clubs with interest. @MLBNetwork
AJ Minter has multiple suitors including the Braves down at the Winter Meetings
So the good news is that Atlanta is clearly still interested in bringing Minter back would be a big plus assuming he is healthy. The Braves could use another lefty in the bullpen and Minter served in the role extremely well during his eight seasons with Atlanta (where did the time go?). The biggest potential hang-up for the Braves is likely whether or not Minter will be ready for the start of the season.
The bad news is that other teams around the league have figured out that Minter is really good at throwing baseballs when he is healthy and are showing interest in him as well. The Rangers are poised to lose Kirby Yates this offseason and need a lot of bullpen arms overall. As for the Cubs, they just need...a lot before they are going to be relevant.
One hopes that the Braves and Minter can work something out, because it would be genuinely weird to see him playing anywhere else. Unfortunately, anything can happen in this crazy pitching market and his health is a true question mark. As the meetings continue, we should get more clarity as to where he stands in the eyes of Atlanta and the rest of the league.