Injured Braves fan favorite begs Alex Anthopoulos for a lifeline ahead of free agency

The Atlanta Braves are currently a game behind the New York Mets for the third and final Wild Card spot in the National League, which sounds utterly preposterous when read aloud. Before the season, folks would have laughed me off the internet for even suggesting that New York might challenge Atlanta in the NL East.

My, how times change.

This has been the season from hell for Atlanta. A potent cocktail of injuries and underperformance has rendered the Braves atypically toothless. Aside from Marcell Ozua, a top-five MVP candidate and the Braves' lone offensive All-Star, there hasn't been a single player in Atlanta's lineup who has both delivered on preseason hype and remained healthy all season.

Atlanta has been saved somewhat by a dominant pitching staff, headlined by presumed Cy Young winner Chris Sale and two more All-Stars in Reynaldo Lopez and Max Fried. Whether the Braves can sneak into the playoffs or not, though, this upcoming winter will be a true test of Alex Anthopoulos and the front office. This team needs to get better and there will be several difficult decisions to make.

One upcoming Braves free agent is pleading his case to upper management.

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A.J. Minter petitions Braves front office to remain in Atlanta long term

A.J. Minter, who underwent season-ending left hip surgery in August, is a Braves legend. He was an integral part of Atlanta's World Series run in 2021 and he has spent his entire eight-year career in the ATL. Braves fans certainly want him to stick around. If Minter has his way, that is precisely what will happen.

"[My time here has] been everything,” Minter told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “[The Braves] took a chance on me, drafting me when I had Tommy John. They had faith in me, and I was brought up to the minor leagues pretty quickly. I had my ups and downs throughout the years, but I’ve learned so much and been a part of something special here. My focus is just to keep adding to it. The goal is to get healthy this offseason and obviously be back here, so that’s my No. 1 goal and hopefully we can get it done."

Minter went on to say "free agency is free agency," so very little is settled. Even with the injuries, Minter should fetch a wide slate of offers from various contenders who are eager to fortify their bullpens. We saw the value of top-shelf relievers at the trade deadline and Minter, 31, has incredibly valuable postseason experience under his belt.

Before the hip injury shut him down for the season, Minter was up to his usual tricks. He appeared in 39 games (34.1 innings), registering a 2.62 ERA and 1.02 WHIP with 35 strikeouts. Last season, at full health, Minter was in the 94th percentile for strikeout rate. His impressive output in 2024 was accomplished while dealing with lingering, nagging paint in his hip and lower back.

The ball is in Anthopoulos' court now. Minter has made his desires clear, but the Braves will need to put up a competitive offer. There's a chance that Minter gives Atlanta a hometown discount, but it will need to be a respectable number all the same. With Max Fried and other high-profile free agents on the docket, the Braves may struggle to keep all their major pieces in-house. Minter, at the very least, should be relatively affordable as a reliever coming off an injury. His market may not peak the same way Fried's surely will.

It's difficult to imagine Minter in a different uniform. Plus, when the Braves consider which teams will pose the greatest threat to pry Minter away in free agency — Dodgers, Phillies, Mets — it will be even harder to justify parting with a beloved fan favorite.