Atlanta Braves: 3 free agents to sign and 1 to avoid

The Braves need to make sure the bullpen remains a team strength

Atlanta does not win the NL East for the third year in a row or get to the NLCS without its star closer Mark Melancon. Frankly, the Braves need to try to bring back Melancon and set-up man Shane Greene in their impending free agencies. Along with Chris Martin, this trio transformed Atlanta’s awful bullpen at the 2019 MLB trade deadline. Anthopoulos deserves a ton of credit.

Melancon will be 36-years-old entering his 13th big league season out of the University of Arizona. While he had the bulk of his success as the former closer of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Melancon felt right at home in Atlanta. He had his ups and downs in 2019 after being traded to the Braves from the San Francisco Giants, but Melancon settled in and pitched great in 2020.

Spending big money on a closer who is on the wrong side of 35 isn’t the smartest thing to do, but Melancon was the rock that made this Atlanta bullpen so dominant. Other pitchers on the Atlanta staff may have had better years, including A.J. Minter who pitched out of his mind in 2020. However, the last thing the Braves need is issues when it comes to closing out ballgames in 2021.

This isn’t just about re-signing Melancon, but a financial commitment for the Braves to truly invest in all facets of its pitching staff. The starting rotation may be well on its way with Anderson, Fried and Soroka, but Atlanta’s bullpen is largely built on smart trades made two seasons prior. As with Ozuna, there is a walkaway number, but Melancon won’t be nearly as pricey as the power bat.