Braves Rumors: Ron Washington's future, Sonny Gray connection, free-agent spending
- The Atlanta Braves could have a tough decision to make on Ron Washington's future.
- Why Sonny Gray makes a surprising amount of sense for Atlanta.
- How much will the Braves spend in free agency?
By Mark Powell
Braves Rumors: How much will Atlanta spend this offseason?
The Braves have just $131 million committed to long-term deals beyond next season. Their spending in the 2023 campaign was around $203 million. With arbitration deals and a potential club option from Charlie Morton, Atlanta's payroll comes in around $200 million. It's fair to expect a contending team like the Braves to spend a bit of money this offseason. A fair assumption would be anywhere in the $25 million range, barring the unexpected big move.
A pitcher like Gray, for example, could be signed for about that much on a three-to-four year deal. Or, perhaps the Braves could upgrade their bullpen, which ought to be a priority for them this winter, as I wrote last week:
"Nonetheless, Atlanta plans on revamping its bullpen this winter. Now, that's not necessarily bad news. Every contending team seeks bullpen additions in the average offseason. It can play a major role in an eventual World Series run...As Justin Toscano of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution notes, only two bullpens in MLB threw less pitchers over 96 MPH than the Braves. They lack the necessary firepower to make a difference late in games, even though the overall numbers don't showcase a bullpen in trouble."
If the answer is one or the other, that's likely not what Braves fans want to hear. Preferably, Atlanta finds a way to address both of those concerns.