3 offseason moves that hurt the Braves the most ahead of the 2024 season
While the moves the Braves made this offseason were largely great, moves elsewhere in the league were far less ideal for them.
Overall, the Atlanta Braves had a really nice offseason going into the 2024 season. They needed to add a starting pitcher and they grabbed Chris Sale for the job. Replacing Eddie Rosario in left field was a priority as well and the Braves swung a trade for Jarred Kelenic who is just loaded with upside. Bullpen depth is always welcome for any team and they brought back Pierce Johnson and Joe Jimenez while adding Reynaldo Lopez (who may also help out in the rotation) and Aaron Bummer.
One can quibble over who the Braves should have added in terms of the exact names, but there is no arguing that Atlanta didn't try to check every box they need to check going into spring training. This is a team that has won over 100 games in back-to-back seasons and somehow looks, on paper, like they could be even better in 2024. However, there were some moves that happened elsewhere in the league that definitely did not help the Braves' cause going into this coming season.
Below, you find a few of the moves from this offseason by other teams that hurt the Braves' 2024 chances the most. To be considered, the moves had to be made by teams that could realistically contend with the Braves that could end up being impact moves. Put another way, a lot of teams made moves to make their teams better, but a sub-.500 team making a move for a quality player that might give them a chance at a winning record doesn't move the needle here.
With that said, here are the three moves that could prove painful for the Braves in 2024.
Phillies re-signing Aaron Nola was brutal for Atlanta
This one is a double-whammy because it first involves the team that has sent the Braves home in back-to-back postseasons in the Philadelphia Phillies. The Phillies are undoubtedly a strong team especially in a short playoff series and when one of their best pitchers hit free agency in Aaron Nola, it had the potential to be a big setback for Philly if he was going to be playing elsewhere in 2024 and beyond. Sadly, that was not to be as the Phillies were able to re-sign Nola on a seven year deal and Philly now looks like they will continue to be a thorn in the Braves' side going forward.
Making matters worse, Atlanta actually made a concerted effort to try and steal Nola for themselves this offseason. Rumor has it that the Braves had a six year, $162 million offer on the table for the 30 year old righty this offseason and he still decided to re-up with the Phillies instead. Adding Nola would have meant that the Braves would have a key rotation spot filled for the foreseeable future while also weakening a division rival in one fell swoop without having to hope that Chris Sale will stay on the mound.
Perhaps Nola was always going to end up back with Philly and the Braves were just making sure that the Phillies had to pay up to keep him. However, the fact remains that Atlanta had to look elsewhere to address their rotation while Philly got to keep the top of their rotation intact.
The Braves losing Sonny Gray to the Cardinals was not ideal
Basically everyone thought that the Braves and Sonny Gray were the perfect pairing of a free agent and a team at the start of the offseason. Atlanta has generally avoided long-term deals, especially with pitchers. Gray was coming off a Cy Young caliber season AND was thought to only need a two or three year deal this offseason. In terms of fit, there wasn't a better option on the free agent market.
Unfortunately, Gray did not end up with Atlanta and instead the Cardinals worked their devil magic and signed Gray to a three year, $75 million deal. There is no denying that St. Louis needed at least one quality arm for their rotation given the combination of senior citizens and Island of Misfit Toys residents that they ran out there in their rotation in 2023, but the Braves losing a key free agent target to a team that finished dead last in the NL Central last season sure doesn't feel great.
As for Gray, this did feel a bit like him going with his personal preference with the Cardinals. He apparently entered the offseason wanting to sign with the Cardinals and they are reasonably close to where he lives in the offseason. For a guy who is likely heading into the final stages of his career, comfort level and preference is going to carry a lot of weight.
Still, now the Braves have to contend with a Cardinals team in the National League that does look somewhat improved on the pitching side and has some dangerous hitters in their lineup. Plus, St. Louis seems like they always find a way to be an annoyance to the Braves and this offseason was clearly no different.
The Dodgers' offseason was a worst case scenario for the Braves
This wasn't just one move, so maybe it is cheating, but the overall scope of what the Dodgers did this offseason is incredibly problematic for Atlanta heading into 2024. Last season, LA looked weirdly vulnerable for a team that had two MVP caliber guys in Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman in their lineup. Their offense wasn't nearly as deep and their rotation was seemingly held together by scotch tape, Elmer's glue, and a healthy amount of hope.
In the wake of Julio Urias' departure and injuries to Clayton Kershaw and Walker Buehler among others, the Braves/Dodgers rivalry seemed like it was trending in the Braves' direction. Unfortunately, LA wasn't having that and put together a spending spree for the ages this offseason.
Not only did the Dodgers make the widely anticipated move to sign Shohei Ohtani for roughly a gazillion dollars, but they also signed arguably the best starter available in Yoshinobu Yamamoto and traded for another potential frontline arm in Tyler Glasnow. When you then factor in other additions like James Paxton, and Teoscar Hernandez, you have a Dodgers team that was already scary looking that now looks like a team built in a video game on easy mode with an infinite budget.
Are the Braves still favored in the National League in 2024 over the Dodgers despite all of LA's moves? So far, the general consensus seems to be yes. Atlanta still has a deeper lineup and the Dodgers' rotation does still have some unknowns and injury issues. However, the gap is not large whatsoever and given the amount of talent on the Dodgers' roster, no one should be surprised if they make a strong challenge of the Braves' supremacy in the NL this coming season thanks to their roster overhaul.
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