Braves president discusses offseason following another early postseason exit

After posting an MLB-best 104-58 record during the regular season this year, the Braves were once again vanquished in four games by the Phillies during the NLDS. With the club’s 2023 campaign now officially in the rearview, Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos conducted Atlanta’s end-of-season press conference Friday. MLB.com’s Mark Bowman and Daniel O’Brien of The Athletic were among those to relay Anthopoulous’s comments during the presser.

One item Anthopoulos quickly addressed was that of the manager’s seat. The club’s GM quickly made clear that manager Brian Snitker would return to helm the team from the dugout in 2024. The move is hardly a surprise, even as the club found itself exiting the playoffs after just one series for the second year in a row. After all, the Braves have won a combined 205 games the past two seasons, won the World Series in 2021 under Snitker’s leadership, and extended the soon-to-be 68-year-old with a contract that runs through the 2025 campaign back in January. Since Snitker took over the manager’s chair in Atlanta back in 2016, the club has posted a 646-509 record under his guidance while making the postseason in six consecutive seasons.

Another topic of discussion was the starting rotation. Righties Spencer Strider, Bryce Elder, and lefty Max Fried all figure to return to the club’s rotation in 2024, though Kyle Wright will miss next season after undergoing shoulder surgery. That leaves two spots in the rotation to be filled out, though the club holds a $20M club option on the services of veteran righty Charlie Morton for next year, which could round out the rotation. Anthopoulous spoke positively of Morton during the presser, noting that his addition ahead of the 2021 season has the club a “frontline starter” for their World Series run. Morton will turn 40 next month, and Bowman suggests that the club could look to work out a different contract with the righty even if they ultimately turn down his option for next season.

Speaking of the rotation more generally, Anthopoulos wouldn’t get into specific offseason plans but acknowledged the club’s struggles with injuries in that area of the roster this season. Morton missed the NLDS this year with an index finger issue, while Fried and Wright followed up excellent seasons in 2022 by combining to make just 21 regular season starts this year as both battled injuries throughout much of the season. Though Morton, Elder, and Strider each made 30 starts or more, the absences at the front of the rotation forced the club to rely on depth options like Jared Shuster, Dylan Dodd, AJ Smith-Shawver, and Michael Soroka to cover the club’s last two rotation spots.

16 pitchers ultimately drew starts for Atlanta this season, with the aforementioned quartet combining for a 6.10 ERA in 144 2/3 innings of work across 29 starts. Though it’s certainly feasible that one of the club’s young arms could take a step forward in 2024, it seems reasonable to expect the Braves to consider potential rotation upgrades this offseason regardless of whether or not Morton remains in the fold for next season. The upcoming class of free agents figures to be flush with mid-rotation or better arms, giving Atlanta plenty of options if they do seek an addition to their current mix of starters.

Looking toward the club’s position player corps, there figures to be little in the way of change this coming offseason. The club’s entire infield mix is locked up for the 2024 campaign and beyond except for utility player Nicky Lopez, who is controlled via arbitration for two more seasons. In the outfield, each of Marcell Ozuna, Michael Harris II, and Ronald Acuna Jr. are under contract for 2024, though Kevin Pillaris a pending free agent and the club holds a $9M club option on left fielder Eddie Rosario, which seems likely to be declined after he slashed just .240/.289/.408 in 786 trips to the plate the last two seasons.

With Pillar and Rosario both potentially headed to the open market, the club could have a hole to fill in left field next season. The crop of free-agent corner outfielders this offseason is headlined by Teoscar Hernandez, though former Braves Joc Pederson, Adam Duvall, and Jorge Soler could all be available as well. One other option for the club’s left-field mix could be youngster Vaughn Grissom, who spent much of the season at the Triple-A level after losing out on the starting shortstop job to Orlando Arcia.

Though Grissom hit just .280/.313/.347 in 80 trips to the plate with the big league club this year, Anthopoulos spoke glowingly of the 22-year-old, referencing his strong slash line of .330/.419/.501 in 102 Triple-A games this year. Grissom played exclusively up the middle in the minor leagues this year, mostly playing shortstop with occasional reps at second base. That being said, the youngster has previous experience at third base and could see time in a utility role next year, per Anthopoulos. Though he hasn’t played the position previously in his career, it’s at least conceivable such a role could include time in left field. After all, Austin Riley appeared in the outfield just nine times during his minor league career but wound up getting occasional reps at both outfield corners early in his big league career before ultimately settling in at third base.