5 free agents the Braves should avoid this offseason at all costs

For the second straight season, the Atlanta Braves won 100-plus games during the regular season and earned a bye during the Wild Card Round of the MLB Playoffs.

But also for the second straight season, the Braves were knocked out of the postseason by the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS in four games.

Now, if Atlanta chose not to be a significant player during MLB free agency, the franchise would be just fine, as the roster would still be stocked with talent. But the Braves can still be better, and one has to think general manager Alex Anthopoulos will make a few moves to better his team's chances of returning to the World Series in 2024.

And there will undoubtedly be plenty of players available as this year's crop of free agents is loaded. Some are obviously more high-profile than others, but regardless of status, here's a quick look at five the Braves should avoid.

And just to get this out of the way, we won't waste an entry on Shohei Ohtani. Yes, we're aware it's almost required that he be included on any list involving free agency this year, but Atlanta hasn't been in the running, still isn't in the running, and won't be in the running for his services.

So, with that out of the way, let's get to it, beginning with a guy who's already on the Braves roster but shouldn't be in 2024.

Charlie Morton, RHP

For the past three seasons, Charlie Morton has been a strong veteran presence in Atlanta's starting rotation.

The Braves have gotten everything they could have hoped for when they brought him back to town ahead of the 2021 season, but they'd be wise to decline the $20 million club option that's up in the air for 2024.

For one, Morton will be 40 in less than a month. And while he recorded 14 wins in 2023, he wasn't nearly as dominant as he was during his 14-win season two years ago.

Sure, the 3.64 ERA doesn't look too bad but his 1.427 WHIP was his highest since 2012. His velocity is down. The strikeouts were down but the walks were up. The Braves could always decline the option and hope he's willing to return at a reduced rate but it might just be time to let him go, especially if they can use that cash to sign someone else.