Atlanta Braves Getting Set to Make Flurry of Moves
By Kit Anderson
The Atlanta Braves quiet start to the off-season shouldn’t fool fans as the Braves are setting themselves up to make a flurry of moves in the weeks to come. Making room for young prospects and adding more veterans will happen soon for the Braves.
Watching the Atlanta Braves inactivity at the Winter Meetings may have been upsetting for some Braves fans but it was the right decision to make as the new GM learns the team. Don’t let the inactivity fool you however, the Braves are gearing up to make a number of moves.
The Braves are setting themselves up to shed contracts and to add veteran players to supplement the leadership that they have lost and will lose. Matt Kemp and Nick Markakis may both well be on their way out of Atlanta.
The interest in Christian Yelich and the talk of improving defense points to at least one if not both departing before 2018. Not only that but the Braves have shown interest in relievers and in starters alike and will add at least one of both in the months to come.
A veteran defensive replacement and a third base veteran are both on the table as well and will be added to the roster in the coming weeks.
Trading Kemp will be the toughest of that list with the veteran outfielder all but impossible to move with his inability to stay healthy or his poor defense in left. The Braves will likely look to take on a large portion of his salary for at least two seasons if they were to move Matt Kemp.
The start of the Braves off-season may have been quiet but don’t let it fool you they are setting themselves up to make many moves in the weeks to come. Moves that will determine how close the Braves could be towards contending in 2018.