The Braves haven’t made a single notable addition this offseason, and it’s unsettling to fans.
Atlanta has seen their biggest competition for a World Series spend gobs of cash or strike blockbuster trades. Braves Country is rightfully anxious in a simple case of FOMO, but MLB win totals suggest one of two things: moves are coming, or the club as currently constructed is already the second-best team in baseball.
(Win total odds via FanDuel as of Dec. 24, 2024)
The reigning World Series champion Dodgers enter the upcoming campaign with the highest win total of 103.5, the only club over 100. It’s not hard to see why either.
LA brings back Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, Tyler Glasnow, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Max Muncy, Will Smith, Tommy Edman, and Blake Treinen while adding Blake Snell and Michael Conforto this offseason.
Next is the good guys, with the Braves’ total sitting at 94.5, the second-highest in baseball. Atlanta went 89-73 last year while Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuna Jr. missed most of the season. That doesn’t even include the other half-dozen All-Stars that spent time on the IL for the Braves.
Following Atlanta is the New York Yankees, who sit at 93.5 regular season wins. That’s less than the Braves, even after the acquisitions of Max Fried, Devin Williams, and Cody Bellinger.
Next is the Phillies at 92.5 and the Mets at 91.5. Philadelphia returns their core of Bryce Harper, Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, Nick Castellanos, Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Christopher Sanchez, Alec Bohm, and Ranger Suarez.
The Mets overachieved last year, but they made the biggest signing of the offseason and MLB history with the Juan Soto deal that could reach $800 million over 15 years.
Suffice to say, Vegas expects the Braves to make more moves this winter. Either that or Atlanta is already one of the best teams in baseball as currently constructed. It’s probably a combination of both, and it should ease Braves fans’ worries.