The Atlanta Braves haven't made the "big splash" during the current offseason and it's left some under the impression that the team has done "nothing" to improve the team. It's certainly an interesting take because Atlanta has been anything but inactive.
Almost immediately after the last out was made in the 2023 World Series, Alex Anthopoulos jumped to securing talent for the 2024 Atlanta Braves. Yes, I understand the frustration of not landing top free agents like Aaron Nola and Sonny Gray but that certainly doesn't mean the team has done "nothing".
Don't believe me? Let's look into a few reasons why that is antithetical to the truth.
Braves bring back key relievers
Pierce Johnson
I mentioned above that the Braves moved immediately after the World Series ended. However, there is one exception. Pierce Johnson was one of the first moves made by the Atlanta front office about a week before the World Series ended.
Atlanta announced they'd inked Pierce Johnson to a 2-year contract worth $14.25 million. The deal also included a team option for 2026 and a $250,000 buyout.
Johnson became one of the brightest stars in the Atlanta bullpen after being acquired from the Rockies at the 2023 trade deadline. Pierce featured an ERA of 6.00 at the time but leaving Denver paid massive dividends for the Colorado native.
He brought over a strikeout rate of 30% which showed how much upside the righty possessed. He went on to pitch 23.2 innings for Atlanta, earning a 0.76 ERA and 2.83 FIP. Johnson's strikeout rate increased to 36% and his whiff rate landed at 17.8% which is fantastic. This also earned him a place on the NLDS roster.
That kind of performance earned him an extension and gives the Braves an elite performer for 2024.
Joe Jimenez
About a week later, nearly 12 hours after the Rangers took home the World Series crown, Atlanta announced they had agreed to terms with Joe Jimenez on a 3-year contract worth $26 million.
Jimenez ended up having a strong campaign for the Braves in 2023 as over 59 appearances he had amassed an ERA of 3.04. He struck out 30.7% of batters faced while issuing walks at a rate of 5.9%. Joe did struggle a tad but over the final couple of months, he, along with Johnson, was one of the best high-leverage options for Atlanta.
As I said, he struggled early and posted a 4.42 ERA over 20 appearances through the end of May. He would finish strong with a 2.27 ERA over his final 41 appearances. That is exactly what solidified AA's confidence in bringing him back for multiple seasons.