The Braves' path to landing Willy Adames just got a whole lot clearer

There are a few areas in which the Atlanta Braves can improve their roster this offseason. But the most obvious has to be the starting shortstop position: While Orlando Arcia is playing out the final year of a cheap, team-friendly deal last season, he was not anywhere close to the player he was in 2023. The bat went quiet and the glove was a bit more inconsistent than what Atlanta wanted.

All this points back to something the Braves were not willing to do after the 2022 MLB season, which was paying a player coming off a career year on an expiring contract in Dansby Swanson. The Braves let him walk to the Chicago Cubs in free agency. Two years later, would they be willing to pay a bit more than what Swanson got in Chicago to land the best player on the market at their biggest position of need? If the answer is yes, it sure looks like the opportunity is there.

According to ESPN's Jesse Rogers, one thing that would entice the Milwaukee Brewers shortstop in free agency would be the opportunity to continue playing shortstop. Adames has signaled that he's open to moving around the infield, either to third or second, but Rogers reports that such a move would only be considered "if all other factors fit his desires", which sure sounds like it's a plan B at best.

Adames has been league-average defensively over the last few years in Milwaukee and in Tampa Bay before that. His bat would be the reason to acquire him, with the hope his glove is not that far of a drop-off from what Arcia's is. But Atlanta has second and third base solved with Ozzie Albies and Austin Riley, respectively, and if it wants to keep up with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2025 and beyond, the way forward is obvious.

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Atlanta Braves may have an easier time selling Willy Adames to play there

Consider the other teams rumored to be in on Adames. The Houston Astros, New York Mets, Toronto Blue Jays, New York Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies all have the shortstop position accounted for in one way or another, while the Dodgers have plenty of options among Mookie Betts, Tommy Edman and Miguel Rojas. The only team with a similarly clear depth chart is the San Francisco Giants, who've been mired in mediocrity for the last few years with no end in sight.

Maybe the Braves still decide it's not the best use of their money. For as good of a free agent as Adames is, he may not tickle Alex Anthopoulos' fancy as much as he does those watching the Hot Stove constantly. In the several years that Anthopoulos has been calling the shots in the Atlanta front office, I know for a fact that he likes to extend homegrown players for cheap before they hit arbitration and that he hates paying a premium.

This is why people tend to favor the draft more than they do free agency over in the NFL. At least you know the type of groceries you are buying. Baseball's draft is becoming more of a big deal, but the players are far more anonymous than the 19-year-olds getting drafted on the regular over in the NBA. I think Anthopoulos would only pay a slight premium to get a player like Adames and nothing more.

But if the front office does decide to make Adames a target, there don't figure to be any suitors who can offer as compelling a pitch.