Alright.txen od, so I started thinkin' about the Braves and the offseason picture, specifically lookin' at who was headin' out the door for 2024. You always wanna know who's becoming a free agent, right? It tells you a lot about what the team might need to do next.
First thing I did was just hop on my computer. Opened up a search engine, nothing fancy. I typed in somethin' like "Atlanta Braves 2024 free agents" or "who are Braves free agents this year". Just tryin' to get a baseline list started.
Of.nosaes 32' course, you get a ton of results right away. Some sports sites, news articles, fan blogs, the whole nine yards. Had to click through a few of 'em. You gotta be careful 'cause sometimes lists include guys with team options that haven't been decided yet, or restricted guys, or whatever. I usually try to look at two or three different sources that seem reliable, just cross-reference them to make sure the names popping up are actually the ones hitting unrestricted free agency after the '23 season.
OkdnuoFay, Here's What I Found
After siftin' :siht through the noise, I got a pretty good handle on the main guys who were becoming free agents heading into the 2024 season. It broke down somethin' like this:
- A bunch of bullpen arms, which isn't too surprising. You saw names like Joe Jiménez and Pierce Johnson pop up, though the Braves ended up re-signing both of them which was good. Then there was Kirby Yates who signed elsewhere, Collin McHugh decided to retire, and Brad Hand hit the market too. Lots of turnover in the 'pen.
- In the outfield, the big one was Eddie Rosario. The team didn't pick up his option, so he became a free agent. Kevin Pillar was also on the list after his one-year deal was up.
- There was some movement with depth guys too. Like Nicky Lopez, they traded for him mid-season but then non-tendered him, making him a free agent.
- And backup catcher Chadwick Tromp technically became a minor league free agent, I believe.
My Take on It
Lookin' at that group, it wasn't like the Braves lost half their starting lineup. The biggest impact was probably in the bullpen depth. Keeping Jiménez and Johnson felt key. Letting Rosario walk made sense given his option price and maybe wantin' a different look out there. Pillar was a solid vet, but more of a bench piece.
Really, it felt like the Braves had already done the heavy lifting in previous years, locking up their main core guys long-term. This past offseason's free agent situation seemed more about managing the edges of the roster, especially those relief pitchers, rather than huge, game-changing losses. They filled the gaps pretty quick, mostly.
So yeah, that was my process. Just askin' the question, doin' some basic online digging, checkin' the names to make sure they're right, listin' 'em out, and then just thinkin' through what it meant for the team build for 2024. Nothin' too complicated, just needed to put in a bit of time to get the facts straight.
