Kirby Yates - $5.75 million option ($1.25 million buyout)
Kirby Yates was very up and down last season. It was probably the first time he felt fully healthy since the TJ surgery, and you could tell as he battled command issues all season. When Yates wasn't walking guys he was very effective.
On the year he had a 3.28 ERA, 4.63 FIP, and strong 11.9 K/9. The red flag was the 5.5 BB/9. His splitter still provides needed swing and miss stuff out of the bullpen, but the walk rate creates hesitance for the Braves to pick up his option. Ultimately, it comes down to if the Braves think they can find a better arm for the $4.5 million difference. As of now I think they lean towards no, and bring Yates back for another run in 2024.
Do we think they bring him back: Yes
Collin McHugh - $6 million club option (no buyout)
Sadly, this one seems to be another quick decision regarding the Braves bullpen. Had McHugh been coming off a season like he had in 2022 with Atlanta, I think the Braves would have picked up this option no problem. However, 2023 was a constant struggle for McHugh, thus making the $6 million option a bit too steep.
Collin will be 37 next season so it could be a question whether he wants to continue pitching as well. Should he want to, the Braves may be open to agreeing with McHugh on a minor league deal at a lesser value to prove last season was just a fluke.
Do we think they bring him back: No
Eddie Rosario - $9 million club option (no buyout)
Outside of Morton, this one is the biggest decision the Braves have to make. Rosario is the only position player the Braves have to make a decision on, and boy is it a big one. At $9 million it certainly isn't throw away type money, but that doesn't mean the Braves have an easy choice. All in all Rosario's productivity probably warrants a contract around that number.
It boils down to if the Braves think they should look elsewhere for an upgrade. As of now, I feel rather confident Alex Anthopoulos will be investing in one of starting pitching or left field with real money for a serious upgrade. Currently, I lean towards that investment going toward the pitching department.
This offseason will more than likely be spent looking for pitching and a serious threat for a right-handed platoon candidate to pair with Rosario. Although, Kevin Pillar was solid in that roll last year, I think the Braves will look for some more impact to form the platoon with Eddie.
Do we think they bring him back: Yes
All of these decisions have the timer ticking down on them now. Some choices will be easier than others. Just be sure to stay tuned here at the site as we will provide coverage on each decision as soon as the details are made available.