Braves Predicted to be Shockingly Quiet in Free Agent Starting Pitcher Market

Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer previewed the MLB's starting pitcher free agent market and predicted the Atlanta Braves to make little noise.

Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Max Fried / Brett Davis-Imagn Images

Most pundits expect the Atlanta Braves to make a significant splash during free agency this winter. Don't count Bleacher Report's Zachardy D. Rymer one of them.

At least in the MLB free agent starting pitcher market, Rymer projected the Braves to be surprisingly quiet.

In his starting pitcher free agency market preview released on Nov. 14, Rymer only predicted the Braves to be involvedin the market by trying to re-sign Max Fried and Charlie Morton. Rymer projected Morton to re-sign with the Braves while he predicted Fried to join the Toronto Blue Jays.

"It feels like Morton has been on the verge of retiring for years, but he's still not ready yet," wrote Rymer. "Per ESPN's Jeff Passan, the veteran righty intends to return for his 18th season in 2025.

"This doesn't necessarily guarantee a fifth go-round with the Atlanta Braves, but they could certainly use him. With Max Fried also a free agent and Spencer Strider in need of more time to recover from elbow surgery, there's a spot for Morton in the rotation."

The Bleacher Report analyst predicted Morton to re-sign in Atlanta on a 1-year, $15 million deal.

As for Fried, Rymer mentioned the Braves as five potential fits for the southpaw. But Rymer projected Fried to land north of the border on a 6-year, $160 million contract.

"Jon Heyman of The New York Post has linked Boston and Baltimore to Fried, with Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet doing the honors for Toronto. Conceivably, he could stick in the NL East with either Atlanta (albeit not via the qualifying offer) or New York," wrote Rymer.

"The Red Sox make sense for Fried on paper, but they've had an aversion to QO-linked players in recent winters. This could mean an opening for the Orioles and Blue Jays, though one of them has more money to spend."

Personally, I'd be shocked if the only starting pitcher the Braves sign in MLB free agency is Morton. It's possible Atlanta signs a reclamation project that wasn't on Rymer's list. But Rymer's preview was pretty extensive, as it included 32 pitchers.

The Braves can't really afford to go into the 2025 campaign with Morton, Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenbach, and Reynaldo López as their only starting pitchers. That would put Grant Holmes in line for a regular spot in the rotation until Spencer Strider returns from Tommy John surgery.

Of course, a trade is always a possibility. ESPN's Buster Olney named the Braves a candidate to acquire Chicago White Sox ace pitcher Garrett Crochet.

The Braves would be understandably quiet in the starting pitcher free agent market if they executed a blockbuster trade for a starter. Otherwise, it seems likey they'll be significantly involved in trying to sign a free agent.