The Atlanta Braves have a few areas they need to address this offseason. First, they need to figure out who is going to round out their rotation. While it seems as though Alex Anthopoulos will try to re-sign Max Fried and Charlie Morton in free agency, he almost always seems to get outbid. While the outfield/designated hitter logjam will resolve itself, the other big issue has to be over at shortstop.
For as good as Orlando Arcia was two years ago in his first season as Atlanta’s every day starter, he was anything but that last year. His bat went quiet and his usually strong defense became more inconsistent. While he is under contract for one more year for cheap, surely, there are better options to be had to round out the Atlanta infield. All signs point to them looking at Willy Adames this winter.
However, the former Milwaukee Brewers star is going to command quite the cash in free agency. Anthopoulos will pay up, but rarely overpays. It is why I think he may try to give every last cent he can to a guy he already knows in Fried than paying a premium for someone else’s player. This is why Jim Bowden of The Athletic has tied Ha-Seong Kim of the San Diego Padres to the Braves in free agency.
He may just end up re-signing with the Padres, but he is the type of player that would go to Atlanta.
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Ha-Seong Kim could be an Orlando Arcia upgrade for the Atlanta Braves
Kim is not the same level of player as Adames, but he could slot in quite nicely for the Braves if the need to upgrade over Arcia becomes paramount. I would venture to guess that if Atlanta is going to spend big in free agency, it would be to solidify its starting rotation. The amount of injuries the starting lineup suffered last year was an anomaly, as this team should still be quite good next season.
This is all about the necessary micro-adjustments to go from good to great if you are Atlanta. A big swing in free agency may entice the rabid fans that make up Braves Country, but we are more likely to progress to the mean than anything next year. The rotation may pull back a bit, but we have to believe the starting lineup will be better than it was last season. It is why Anthopoulos will prioritize pitching.
Frankly, this is not all that hard to figure out. While I think bringing in a big name could shake up the team’s chemistry that has become increasingly stale, patience will serve this team in the end. If Kim is deemed as an upgrade over Arcia for the right amount of cash, then I would understand Anthopoulos pursuing him. The only issue is there may be a three-team bidding war for Kim’s services this winter.
Kim may re-sign with the Padres, but he could also sign with a team like the San Francisco Giants, too.