Following another early postseason exit, the Atlanta Braves have a number of needs to address over the winter but are still in position to be a powerhouse in the National League.
They entered the offseason looking for the right piece to augment a talented roster, though overall health will undoubtedly be one of the biggest keys to success in 2025.
After struggling to find offensive consistency across the board, the Braves’ decision-makers realized additional moves would be necessary. The first domino fell Thursday with the dismissal of longtime hitting coach Kevin Seitzer.
Seitzer, who just completed his 10th season with Atlanta, was one of three coaches notified that they would not be returning next season. Assistant hitting coach Bobby Magallanes and catching coordinator Sal Fasano were also let go.
Coaching changes are not unexpected, but the decision to move on from Seitzer came just one week after Atlanta’s ouster from the playoffs and despite manager Brian Snitker’s comments to the media that he expected his entire staff to return.
General manager Alex Anthopoulos vowed the Braves would have substantive discussions about improving the team in all facets. He also wanted to make these coaching decisions early in the offseason in order to provide each man a chance to pursue other opportunities.
“We’re going to sit down and we have more time than we wanted to go through the roster,” Anthopoulos said. “From an offensive standpoint, that’s nine guys. It’s not one. So, can we be better? Absolutely. We were better after the trade deadline from an offensive standpoint. Our numbers were much better. But I do think that’s where getting some of these (injured) guys back can only help.”
The Braves built a club that hung its collective hat on slugging and on-base percentage, a philosophy that yielded historic production in 2023.
As the Braves regressed in both categories in 2024, their lack of situational hitting was chief among the club’s struggles. Atlanta batted just .247 and drove in only 449 runs with runners in scoring position, easily the lowest totals of any playoff team, with the latter number tied for 23rd in the major leagues.
The down season owed at least in part to the loss of MVP Ronald Acuña Jr. in late May and two-month absences for All-Stars Austin Riley, Ozzie Albies and Sean Murphy, as well as standout center fielder Michael Harris II.
“I don’t think any one player makes or breaks you, but two, three, four combined, sure,” Anthopoulos said of the club’s injury woes. “We’re capable of more and I think that goes without saying. At the same time, you’re not doing your job if you’re not looking at everything and ways to get better.”
While health could make a major impact for the Braves’ turnaround, team officials are seeking a return to form at the plate that required a new message. They believe a new set of hitting coaches could provide that and will begin that search in earnest in the weeks to come.
There are several other areas Atlanta could seek an upgrade to enhance its offensive firepower, however.
Shortstop Orlando Arcia was a lightning rod of sorts for the club’s offense struggles, with his situational hitting among the worst of any player in the majors. Whether anecdotal or not, Arcia seemed to be the player with the bat in his hands and a chance to do damage for the Braves, only to be repeatedly rebuffed by the opposing pitcher.
“Orlando did not have as good a year as the year before,” Anthopoulos said. “The way we were set up initially was that he wasn’t counted on to be a key cog. … But there were a lot of moments — and this a reflection of the job I did — when we had him hitting fifth at times, and that’s not a criticism. We didn’t have anybody else. Guys were injured, guys were hurt.”
Arcia is under contract at a team-friendly $2 million rate for 2025 and could remain on the club in a reserve role, even if a new shortstop is acquired over the winter.
This year’s class of free-agent shortstops is headlined by Milwaukee Brewers slugger Willy Adames, though he could command a contract larger than that of former Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson, the Marietta High product who signed a seven-year, $177 million deal with the Chicago Cubs prior to the 2023 season.
The Braves may be hesitant to hand out that kind of contract, and they have not spent liberally in free agency under Anthopoulos. Though Anthopoulos has committed hundreds of millions in contract extensions to core players, his largest free-agent signing in terms of overall money spent was Marcell Ozuna’s four-year, $64 million deal prior to the 2021 season.
The first two years of Ozuna’s contract seemed like a bust before his turnaround in 2023 and a worthy follow-up campaign in 2024. Ozuna’s deal includes a $16 million option for 2025, which Atlanta is expected to exercise.
Ozuna’s pending return, in addition to the presence of fellow designated hitter Jorge Soler, who was acquired from the San Francisco Giants at the trade deadline with two years and $32 million remaining on his deal and pressed into every-day duty in right field, are two pieces of a complicated puzzle for Anthopoulos and the Braves.
With Acuña expected to be ready to return from a knee injury early in the season, Atlanta also has Ozuna, Soler, Harris and Jarred Kelenic all under contract in 2025. Where the playing time for each will come from is one of many questions to address over the winter.
When pressed, Anthopoulos would not tip his hand on if dealing away Soler would ease the logjam at outfield and designated hitter.
“As a general rule of thumb, I’d say we’ve had injuries every year (and) having too many good players is not a bad thing,” Anthopoulos said. “I view these guys as assets across the board.”
The Braves also have considerable assets in the rotation, though 2025 could present a very different look for the starting five.
Max Fried is scheduled to be a free agent, while 40-year-old veteran Charlie Morton could opt to retire following a four-year stint with the Braves and a 17-year career. The 30-year-old Fried will draw considerable interest on the open market.
Anthopoulos stopped short of admitting that Fried’s departure would be an inevitability.
“We’d love to have them back, but 30 teams would love to have Max Fried,” Anthopoulos said. “These guys that become great players — rightfully so — they’ve earned they become really sought-after, so we’ll see where that goes.”
The Braves’ starting staff received a considerable boost from newcomers Chris Sale and Reynaldo Lopez, along with the performance of rookie standout Spencer Schwellenbach. That group will be bolstered by the return of Spencer Strider, giving Atlanta the makings of a top flight staff.
Anthopoulos knows that health could complicate those plans, and he will be seeking reinforcements for the staff in some form or fashion. Where that comes from is anyone’s guess for now.
“You get to the winter and you just don’t know what presents itself (and) what opportunities are there,” Anthopoulos said. “I just don’t know the landscape of players available. So, even if you sit there and you say, ‘I really want a reliever. I really want a starter. I really want this position or that position,’ sometimes, they’re not there in free agency. Sometimes, they’re not there in trade.”
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