Which 2024 club options does Atlanta pick up this offseason?

There's five players who could stick around if Atlanta chooses to sign them at the option price, but that cost might be more that the Braves are willing to pay

Lindsay Crosby | Oct 16, 2023

The Atlanta Braves have just a few days after the World Series to make some crucial roster decisions, and they've undoubtedly started working on the logistics of it all - salary vs production, what it'll do the team's overall payroll number, and whether or not that production could be replaced for cheaper through either the free agent market, via trade, or through promoting a prospect.

There's five players in particular that have club or mutual options that Atlanta needs to decide on:

SP Charlie Morton: $20M club option for 2024 with no buyout

This one isn't up to Atlanta, I don't think - The 40 year-old Morton has indicated not being sure as to his future and whether or not he'll come back for another season. He performed well enough for Atlanta to feel good rolling the dice if Morton wants to give it one more run towards a title, and it's possible he doesn't want to career to end the way his season did, with him on the injured list while Atlanta got blasted.

Prediction: Atlanta picks up the option and Morton pitches in 2024

LF Eddie Rosario: $9M club option for 2024 with no buyout

Here comes the first tough decision in this group. Rosario, 32, was a key piece of the 2021 World Series run, but has underwhelmed at times during an injury-riddled 2022 and streaky 2023. Atlanta platooned Rosario pretty hard, with him in the lineup only five games against left-handed starters.

For a team that spent last season just over the $246M luxury tax and paid a tax bill of $2.6M, do they want to spend $9M on a platoon bat? It doesn't feel likely. I wouldn't be surprised if the Braves tried to retain him for a lesser amount, however.

Prediction: Atlanta declines the option, but tries to re-sign Rosario anyway

RHP Kirby Yates: $5.75M club option for 2024 with a $1.25M buyout

This is the first of the bullpen-related options Atlanta needs to decide on, and also the one that's probably hardest for the Braves to decide on.

The 36 year-old Kirby Yates performed well for Atlanta in 2023, pitching in 61 games with a 7-2 record and 3.28 ERA. He was the "back-up" closer when the main high-leverage group of Raisel Iglesias, AJ Minter, and Joe Jimenez were all unavailable, and he converted five of eight save opportunities in those situations.

This one feels like the most likely to be picked up, simply because Yates, while not back to the "leading the league in saves with 41" form of 2019, is a useful piece to retain in a bullpen that stands to potentially lose a LOT of pieces between this offseason and next.

Prediction: Atlanta picks up the option for 2024

LHP Brad Hand: $7M mutual option with a $500k buyout

Ah, a mutual option - they're rarely picked up simply because both the player and team have to agree on the value, and either the player thinks they're worth more or the team thinks that can replace that player for cheaper on the open market.

Hand was acquired at the trade deadline from Colorado and the trade triggered this mutual option to vest in the contract - Hand's twenty games in Atlanta saw him pitch to a 7.50 ERA and he'd be, at best, the fourth lefty in the bullpen behind AJ Minter and the duo of Dylan Lee and Tyler Matzek, who are both expected back on the mound in spring training.

Prediction: Atlanta declines the option, paying the $500k buyout.

RHP Collin McHugh: $6M club option with a $1M buyout

Simply put, I don't think there's any way Atlanta retains McHugh. His age 36 season, his 2nd in Atlanta, saw his ERA climb from 2022's 2.60 to 4.30 with both his strikeout rate plummeting from 9.7 K/9 to 7.2 K/9 and his walk rate jumping from 1.8 BB/9 to 3.4 BB/9. The Braves can get better production for significantly cheaper than $6M on the open market.

Prediction: Atlanta declines the option, paying the $1M buyout.

The bullpen needs to be rebuilt

You may have noticed a trend here - three of the five options were for relievers, and the Braves are likely to retain one of those three at best. With AJ Minter entering his final year of team control and the trio of Joe Jiménez, Pierce Johnson, and Jesse Chavez all hitting free agency at the same time, Alex Anthopoulos has a lot of work to do on the back end of the pitching staff.

It can be argued that Atlanta needs to prioritize velocity from their bullpen - only two teams threw less pitches of 96 mph or more from their bullpen than Atlanta (and a lot of those came from Johnson and Jiménez). One of the reasons that rookie Daysbel Hernández made the NLDS roster, other than the fact that Philly hadn't seen him yet this season, was the absolute flamethrower of a right arm he has. We saw in that postseason matchup with Philly how much high velocity fastballs can frustrate even the best offenses, and the Braves absolutely need more of that from their pen.

It'll be interesting to see how Atlanta fortifies the back end in free agency, which starts five days after the World Series concludes.

Key offseason dates for the Atlanta Braves

Stick with Braves Today for more all about Atlanta's offseason plans and transactions!

Check out Braves Today on Socials!
Follow Braves Today on Twitter!
Like Braves Today on Facebook!
Check out the homepage for more Atlanta Braves News!
Subscribe to Braves Today on YouTube!
Get Exclusive Braves Merchandise from FOCO

Published Oct 16, 2023

LINDSAY CROSBY

Managing Editor for Braves Today and the 2023 IBWAA Prospects/Minors Writer of the Year. You can reach him at contact@bravestoday.com