What to know about Braves' offseason plans
This story was excerpted from Mark Bowman’s Braves Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
By the time next week’s newsletter arrives, the World Series will have concluded and the Hot Stove season will have begun. Below is some of the information that should help you prepare for the Braves’ offseason.
Which players are free agents?
Shortstop Dansby Swanson, outfielders Adam Duvall and Robbie Grossman, right-handers Kenley Jansen, Luke Jackson, Darren O'Day and Jesse Chavez, as well as infielder Ehire Adrianza.
Are any of them likely to receive qualifying offers?
Teams have the option to offer each of their free agents a qualifying offer, which is a one-year deal worth $19.65 million for the 2023 season. If a player receives this offer and signs elsewhere, the team receives a compensatory Draft pick.
Swanson will likely receive an offer and then reject it before Nov. 15 to set himself up for the multiyear deal he’ll certainly gain on the free-agent market. None of Atlanta’s other free agents are likely receive a qualifying offer. Jansen isn’t eligible because he previously received a QO from the Dodgers after the 2016 season.
Which players have options?
Jake Odorizzi has a $12.5 million player option, which includes a $6.25 million buyout. This is an expensive price for a potential fifth starter, especially when Ian Anderson could easily bounce back to fill that role next year, while Kyle Muller and Bryce Elder are also waiting in the wings.
But this isn’t necessarily a slam-dunk decision. President of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos has repeatedly benefited from moves that maintained depth in certain areas. This decision would just be more expensive than the valuable choice to keep Adam Duvall around beyond the 2018 season.
Which players are arbitration-eligible?
Left-handers Max Fried, A.J. Minter and Tyler Matzek, right-hander Mike Soroka and OF Guillermo Heredia.
Who might be a non-tender candidate, and when does the club have to make that decision?
The Braves will have until Nov. 18 to decide which of their arbitration-eligible players will be tendered a contract. Fried and Minter will both receive hefty raises through this process. Matzek will miss next season recovering from Tommy John surgery, but the Braves will most likely tender him a contract, much like they did when Soroka’s immediate future was unclear over the past two years.
Soroka has made $2.8 million in each of the past two seasons, but he hasn’t pitched since tearing his right Achilles tendon in 2020. The Braves could give Soroka a similar salary with the hope he proves to be healthy and effective in 2023.
With the expectation Soroka will be tendered again, the only potential non-tender candidate is Heredia, who played sparingly but created energy both in the clubhouse and dugout on a daily basis. His value might be near the $1 million salary he received last year.