Not many GMs in baseball love a one-year deal quite like Alex Anthopoulos. The Atlanta Braves general manager is famous for his affinity for one-year deals, and to be fair, some of Anthopoulos' best work in Atlanta has come via successful one-year contracts.
Josh Donaldson and Marcell Ozuna are just a couple of the one-year investments that paid huge dividends for Atlanta. This offseason, a few players could follow in their footsteps if Anthopoulos deems them to be a good fit for the 2027 roster.
Among the pool of MLB free agents, left-handed pitcher Kris Bubic immediately sticks out as a potential Alex Anthopoulos target. Considering Bubic battled injuries last season and is still just 29-years-old, a one-year prove it deal could be of interest to both Bubic and the Braves.
Kris Bubic has a career high 10 strikeouts through 6 scoreless frames! pic.twitter.com/3oaSq67JhK
— MLB (@MLB) April 11, 2026
Why free agent pitcher Kris Bubic feels like a prototypical Alex Anthopoulos target
The offseason has officially begun, and the rotation figures to stay in the news cycle for the Atlanta Braves throughout the winter. After navigating numerous injuries to the rotation in 2026, Alex Anthopoulos has to feel the pressure to add multiple starters this offseason.
One arm that could come cheap, but offer real upside is former Dodger Kris Bubic. The fomrer first round selection of the Royals posted a 3.76 ERA, 3.54 FIP, and 1.1 bWAR in just 55 innings last season. Bubic was traded midseason from Kansas City to LA, and after he returned from a shoulder injury, Bubic spent the remainder of the season pitching out of the Dodgers' bullpen.
Back in 2025, Bubic was an All-Star for the Royals, and he finished with a very impressive 2.55 ERA, 2.89 FIP, and 3.1 bWAR in just 20 starts. Bubic looked to be on his way to establishing himself as one of the premier left-handed starters in the American League. Unfortunately, injuries and a bit of regression halted that progress in 2026.
Still, all the positive indicators Anthopoulos tends to like are all still there for Bubic. He doesn't blow hitters away with velocity, but Bubic's excellent groundball rate (ranked in the 81st percentile in 2026) and respectable strikeout rate make him a very intriguing arm. These factors could be what draws Anthopoulos to trying to sign Bubic this winter.
Additionally, with Bubic's long-term durability in question and his underperformance in 2026, he very well could seek out a short-term deal so that he can pitch himself into a bigger contract next offseason. If this is the case, expect Alex Anthopoulos to quickly enter the discussion.
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