Atlanta Braves fans are rightfully disappointed with the news that Max Fried signed with the Yankees on Tuesday. Fried inked an eight-year, $218 million contract with one of the most hated teams in baseball.
However, with quality pitching left on the market, there was still hope for the Braves to make a nice addition. Many experts this offseason tied the Braves to hard-throwing right-handed starter Nathan Eovaldi.
He is a grizzled veteran who pounds the strike zone and has plenty of postseason experience. Eovaldi pitched with Chris Sale in Boston and has won two World Series titles with two different teams (Red Sox and Rangers).
Eovaldi seemed like a perfect addition to the Braves rotation and fit the type of pitcher Alex Anthopoulos likes to add. According to Braves beat writer Mark Bowman recently, he was atop Atlanta's offseason wish list. Unfortunately, those hopes were dashed as he was taken off the board not long after Max Fried signed his deal.
The right-hander decided to return to Arlington on a three-year, $75 million contract with the Texas Rangers. Texas was in the hunt for Max Fried's services along with the Red Sox but it seems like Eovaldi was their pivot after they missed out.
Braves lose free agent target Nathan Eovaldi to the Rangers as pitching market continues to go wild
BREAKING: Free-agent pitcher Nathan Eovaldi and the Texas Rangers are in agreement on a contract, according to sources familiar with the deal.
— Robert Murray (@ByRobertMurray) December 11, 2024
It's a real shame because Eovaldi would have been a perfect fit for Atlanta's rotation. He would have provided quality stuff and plenty of postseason experience. Something every starting rotation needs in Major League Baseball.
We touched on the Braves and Orioles being among the teams still interested in Eovaldi about a week ago. My thought was he would be a perfect candidate for a two or three-year deal with an AAV between $20-$25 million. That's exactly what he received and all things considered, this is a fair asking price for a pitcher of his caliber. It's hard to believe the Braves couldn't match that. It may have come down to Eovaldi wanting to remain in his home state and nothing else. We may never know.
The Texas native posted a 3.80 ERA over 170.2 innings in 2024 with a 3.83 FIP, 8.8 K/9 rate, 42 walks, and 166 strikeouts. Eovaldi also had a 23.9% strikeout rate which is the highest it's been since 2021.
This puts the Braves in a tough spot as their external options for next season are beginning to dwindle. Mark Bowman did recently mention the Braves may abandon Eovaldi and bring back Charlie Morton so they could focus on acquiring an impact outfield bat.
There is still plenty of time for the team to address their needs but understandably, fans are becoming impatient.