3 moves Braves can make to leave Mets in the dust after deGrom bails
By Mark Powell
The Atlanta Braves have a real opportunity to put some distance between themselves and the New York Mets.
Jacob deGrom signed with the Texas Rangers on Friday night to the tune of a five-year, $185 million contract. It’s a significant risk for a Rangers team trying to find an identity through big-name free agent signings.
As for the Mets, it was an offer Steve Cohen was never going to match, no matter his own valuation. deGrom is a depreciating asset, and one who cannot stay healthy. New York’s reported best offer was for three years and a $40 million AAV. It was respectable, but not what deGrom was looking for in terms of contract length.
The Mets loss is a gain for teams like the Braves and Phillies, who fought all season long with New York in a crowded NL East. Cohen will add some pitching to replace deGrom, sure. But there is no replacing a pitcher of that magnitude straight up.
Atlanta won the division in 2022 for a reason, catching the Mets with just a couple weeks left in the regular season. This offseason, they have a chance to put some distance between themselves and their longtime rival.
Braves rumors: Atlanta should trade for Bryan Reynolds
Bryan Reynolds requested a trade from the Pittsburgh Pirates on Saturday afternoon. It was leaked to the press shortly thereafter.
Reynolds is an All-Star level outfielder in a losing situation in Pittsburgh. The Bucs won’t give him up for cheap, as Reynolds is under contract for the next three seasons, but the Braves have the assets to trade for the 27-year-old.
Atlanta’s outfield is decent overall, with Ronald Acuña and Michael Harris patrolling. Left field remains a question mark, as Marcell Ozuna is far from the player he once was.
Some things to keep in mind: Reynolds playing primarily left field as a rookie in 2019; he has said before he’d like to play for Atlanta; Pirates would certainly like to add a couple of starting-pitcher prospects, the only prospect area in which ATL has anything close to surplus. https://t.co/6dq1k3x5D6
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) December 3, 2022
The Pirates aren’t intent on trading Reynolds. It defeats the entire purpose of using him as a trade asset if they announce to the world they want to deal him, and depreciates his value. But Pittsburgh also doesn’t have the type of payroll flexibility necessary to sign Reynolds long-term, which defeats the entire purpose of having him on the roster in the first place.
The Pirates are rebuilding. Their competitive window isn’t set to open for a few more years, at which point Reynolds will likely be on his way out, anyway. Why not flip him to the Braves for young MLB talent like Vaughn Grissom, William Contreras or more?