What an Atlanta Braves Black Friday Wishlist Could Look Like

It's the biggest shopping day of the year, and the Atlanta Braves, like all of us, have a wishlist of things they'd like to pick up

Let's break down what a Braves Black Friday shopping list could look like / Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Black Friday has arrived. Just after telling everyone what we’re thankful for, we head to the stores for those sweet deals. While their desired buys aren’t on sale at department or big box stores, the Atlanta Braves have a wishlist ready in hand. 

Like with the rest of us, the goal is to get as many items on this wishlist ahead of the new year (or season) as possible. Here, we’re going to dive into that theoretical wishlist. 

Below are five items that are certainly on the Braves’ Black Friday wishlist. This wishlist is in order of importance for this team. 

Starting Pitcher

Some will feel the next item on this list is more important, and there’s a good case. If the Braves only had to fill a single spot in the rotation, I'd swap them on this list. But with both Max Fried and Charlie Morton likely not returning, they have two spots to fill. 

Yes, Spencer Strider will take one of those spots eventually, but he won't be be back for Opening Day. We also learned how important depth was last season as injuries built up beyond Strider being out for the season.

The best remedy for this is for the Braves to go out and secure another veteran starting pitcher. Recent buzz has shown the Braves have a strong interest in Nathan Eovaldi. 

Shortstop

While this is second on the list, the Braves desperately need to upgrade their bat at the shortstop position. One of their healthiest hitters was one of the worst clutch hitters in the league. So they don’t even have injuries as an excuse for this one. 

The best option this offseason is Milwaukee Brewers free agent Willy Adames. If Adames signs elsewhere, they could make a move for Gleyber Torres or Enrique Hernandez on the free-agent market. 

Other potential non-free agent options could be trading for the Toronto Blue Jays’ Bo Bichette or Chicago Cubs’ Nico Hoerner. 

Outfielder 

Ronald Acuña Jr. isn’t going to be back for opening day. Soler was traded, and Laureano was non-tendered. Rolling with Jarred Kelenic and Eli White is risky from a production standpoint, and it leaves little room for injuries - even if both were mostly healthy last season. 

While the Braves don't need the upgrade to the same extend as at shortstop, they'll still need another bat for left field after Acuña gets back. The more realiable bats they have, the better.

The Braves aren’t planning on a major splash for an outfielder. By default, that puts it a bit lower on the list. But there are plenty of reliable free-agent options to fill this hole that won't break the bank. 

Relief Pitcher 

Joe Jimenez is out longterm. AJ Minter is a free agent. That’s potentially two major losses heading into 2025. It would make sense to get extra help. However, they have in-house options, so it’s not as pressing. 

Daysbel Hernandez, for example, spent the bulk of last season in Triple-A because they didn’t have the space for him. He would be able to take on a larger role in this scenario. 

But it wouldn’t hurt to go out and get another reliever. The best option would be to keep Minter, but that isn’t guaranteed. So, if they can scratch this one off their list, great. But other items on the list need to go ahead of it.

Backup Catcher

The Braves declined Travis d’Arnaud’s $8 million option, and he signed with the Los Angeles Angels. Drake Baldwin is extremely promising, but it might not be wise to use his service time to simply back up Sean Murphy - even if seeing him next season is inevitable. 

It would be beneficial to the Braves to get a veteran backup catcher. One suggested option is Kyle Higashioka. He played 84 games for the San Diego Padres last season and proved to be a nightmare for the Braves in the Wild Card series. Since the Braves have a young catching prospect, maybe another veteran presence would help when he’s up with the big-league club.  

But like relief pitching, this is an added bonus. Because the Braves have Baldwin, it's not as pressing. Worst-cast scenario, they can even roll with Chadwick Tromp.