DALLAS -- Juan Soto returned to the National League East. Max Fried got his expected riches elsewhere. And the Braves exited this year’s Winter Meetings with the same needs they had when the annual event began on Sunday.

The most significant development for the Braves may have been Nathan Eovaldi’s reported decision to remain with the Rangers on a three-year, $75 million contract. Eovaldi had been high on Atlanta’s wish list. But there was always reason to wonder if the wish was significant enough to provide three years to a nearly 35-year-old pitcher who has made 30-plus starts in a season just twice in his career.

Fried gained financial security via the eight-year, $218 million deal with the Yankees he reportedly agreed to on Tuesday. The 2021 World Series hero will always be an Atlanta sports legend. But the assumption over the past two years was that he would eventually realize the same fate as his friends and former Braves teammates Freddie Freeman and Dansby Swanson.

The Yankees agreed with Fried after missing out on Soto, who reportedly agreed to a 15-year, $765 million contract with the Mets on Sunday.

Soto’s return to the NL East creates excitement about a potentially great division race that will be influenced by what the Braves do over the next few weeks and months.

REMAINING NEEDS

Outfielder
Though a timetable hasn’t been announced, the expectation is Ronald Acuña Jr. (left ACL tear) will miss at least the first six weeks of the 2025 season. So if the season were to start today, the Braves’ outfield might consist of Michael Harris II, Jarred Kelenic and fill-in-the-blank. In other words, there’s an absolute need to find somebody who can be an everyday outfielder until Acuña returns. But the target should be someone who could remain a regular option after the 2023 NL MVP returns.

If Kelenic finds the consistency that has eluded his game, he could be the club’s everyday left fielder throughout the season. But given his inconsistencies over the past few years, it seems the Braves would be wise to land an outfielder who fills the left-field spot on a regular basis, in the event that Kelenic doesn’t make progress in 2025.

Starting pitcher
Chris Sale, Reynaldo López and Spencer Schwellenbach will front the rotation until Spencer Strider returns from right elbow surgery near the end of April. Sale, López and Schwellenbach were three of the game’s top starters last year. But each of them also surpassed expectations from a durability standpoint.

So the Braves may want to add a proven starter who could provide insurance even after Strider returns. A reunion with Charlie Morton might make sense, especially if the 41-year-old pitcher is willing to take a one-year deal worth approximately $10 million.

Relief pitcher
The most crushing news of the offseason was delivered when the Braves learned Joe Jiménez will miss most, if not all, of the 2025 season while recovering from left knee surgery. Pierce Johnson, Jiménez and free agent A.J. Minter were Atlanta’s top high-leverage relievers last year. Who will team with Johnson in 2025 remains a question. Minter could return as long as there is confidence he’s physically fine after undergoing left hip surgery. Daysbel Hernández is an internal possibility who will be given a chance to prove he can be a high-leverage option. But the solution may also come via the handful of relievers who could come to camp with a Minor League deal, just looking to prove they belong in a big league bullpen.

RULE 5 DRAFT

The Braves took right-handed pitcher Anderson Pilar from the Marlins in the first round of the Major League phase of the Rule 5 Draft on Wednesday and then took shortstop Christian Cairo from the Guardians in the second round. Each selection cost $100,000, and the players must remain on the active 26-man roster all of next season. Before being sent back to the Minors, the player would need to clear waivers and then be offered back to his former club for $50,000.

Pilar posted a 2.64 ERA while completing 58 innings combined across the High-A, Double-A and Triple-A levels last year. He had 71 strikeouts and just 13 walks.

Cairo produced a .680 OPS and was successful on 26 of 30 stolen base attempts while playing at the Double-A and Triple-A levels last year. The Clearwater, Fla., native was taken by Cleveland in the fourth round of the 2019 MLB Draft.

GM’S BOTTOM LINE

“There’s just so many places we can get better, especially when you look at all of the injuries we’ve had. Depth is always important as well. We’re open to everything. Bullpen, offense, rotation. We’ve had conversations about all three areas. I don’t know what we’ll come up with by the time the winter is over, but we’re open to adding all three.” -- General manager Alex Anthopoulos