After essentially sitting out free agency last offseason, the Braves reset the luxury tax. With money coming off the books and their worst season in a decade behind them, Alex Anthopoulos has every reason to be aggressive this offseason.

The time for patchwork is over. If the Braves continue to try to cover bullet wounds with band-aids, we’ll be sitting in the exact same spot next year, wondering where it all went wrong.

Braves Dream 2025-2026 Free Agent Class

Kyle Schwarber

Plucking Schwarber out of Philadelphia may prove impossible, but the Braves should run the price tag up to an uncomfortable range, just like they did with Aaron Nola a couple of offseason ago. Atlanta needs a middle-of-the-order bat with Marcell Ozuna gone, and Schwarber is the premier power hitter on the market. He’s also proven to be clutch in big moments and is highly regarded as a clubhouse leader. If Anthopoulos wants to make a statement move, this is the one.

Zac Gallen

Alex Anthopoulos’ unwillingness to spend on the rotation has really hurt the organization over the years and probably cost the club another World Series along the way. It’s about time he stops with the one-off gimmicks and goes big, targeting some of the marquee names on the market in Michael King, Dylan Cease, Ranger Suarez, and Framber Valdez.

Unfortunately, I just don’t see him getting involved in those bidding wars. Zac Gallen is much more Anthopoulos’ cup of a tea — a guy with an elite track record coming off the worst season of his career. Gallen has a 5.13 ERA this season and could be interested in a short-term deal in hopes of rebuilding his value and signing a much more lucrative contract in the future. Sound familiar?

Raisel Iglesias

Iglesias had a really rocky start to the season but has been elite over the last several months, posting a 1.76 ERA with a 1.88 FIP since June 9th (32 appearances). The Braves bullpen needs a makeover, and it will only look much worse if they let their best reliever walk this offseason.

Aroldis Chapman

There are a plethora of elite relievers that will be available this offseason, and the Braves need to grab one of them. Chapman has had an unbelievable season for the Red Sox, posting a career-low 1.04 ERA over 52 innings. He’s aging like a fine wine and will command a lucrative contract, but set to turn 38 next season, it should be a more palatable deal than what some of the younger elite closers will demand this winter.

The Braves would have to spend a lot of money in this hypothetical, and they don’t even fill all of their needs, but this would be more than enough to put them back in the World Series conversation.

The addition of Kyle Schwarber eases any concerns about the offense. The Braves would instantly become one of the most powerful lineups in the league again with one move. Zac Gallen provides some stability to the rotation with some upside, and Chapman takes the pressure off the rest of the bullpen, allowing them to pitch in roles where they are more comfortable.