It sure sounds like the ideal Alex Anthopoulos free agent target is right there for the taking

To say the least, 2024 did not go as planned for the Atlanta Braves. With a perfect storm combination of injuries and underperformance from big names, Atlanta barely snuck into the playoffs and suffered an early postseason exit after being swept by the San Diego Padres in the NL Wild Card Series.

While all free agent attention this winter is on superstar Juan Soto and where he will land, the Braves have found themselves in some interesting conversations. After the Los Angeles Dodgers were able to snag Blake Snell for five-years, $182 million, the door seems wide open for Braves' GM Alex Anthopoulos to bolster Atlanta's starting rotation.

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Walker Buehler to the Braves seems more likely

After a dominating, Cy Young Award-winning, season from veteran left-hander Chris Sale, a solid season from Reynaldo Lopez when he was healthy and rookie Spencer Schwellenbach proving he belongs in the big leagues, the Atlanta Braves starting rotation has a solid foundation heading into 2025.

With Max Fried entering free agency and seeing the deal Blake Snell was able to obtain with the Dodgers, Fried's price tag just became far too high for Atlanta's liking. If flame-throwing Spencer Strider seems he will return sooner rather than later, Anthopoulos will turn to free agency to fill the void Fried's likely exit will bring.

Snell's agreement with the Dodgers may also be a tell tale sign that free agent Walker Buehler is on his way out of Los Angeles. MLB Insider Ken Rosenthal agrees.

For his career, Buehler is 47-22 with a 3.27 ERA but is coming off of a rough season, decreasing his value. This makes Buehler a prime target for Alex Anthopoulos. A proven starter with success during the regular season and postseason at a reasonable price is an ideal fit for Atlanta.

A potential rotation of Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, Walker Buehler, Reynaldo Lopez and Spencer Schwellenbach could be the best in all of Major League Baseball. As the offseason progresses, do not be surprised if Atlanta pursues Buehler aggressively.