When looking at potential Atlanta Braves bullpen targets, it is important to remember how this team operates. Rarely do the Braves decide to push their chips to the center of the table when it comes to trade moves. Overpaying for the top names hasn't been Atlanta's style. Looking at veterans or former top prospects as cheap reclamation projects is more often the avenue the team chooses to explore.
With this in mind, Atlanta spending on the best arms is unlikely. However, there is one interesting exception that appears to be consistently overlooked in potentially impactful trade targets. Tampa Bay reliever Pete Fairbanks is off to an incredible start to the 2025 season. Fairbanks is a proven commodity when healthy and would make Atlanta's bullpen undeniably better. The one issue is what the Rays' asking price might be.
Pete Fairbanks Would Be the Perfect Addition to Struggling Braves Bullpen
Manager Brian Snitker has had a tough time knowing which buttons to push in the first weeks of the season. Even Atlanta's typically reliable closer has had a rough stretch to start the 2025 season. This isn't a problem that is going to be fixed by shuffling around the team's current options. While the organization has been increasingly thrifty, it is time to pay what it takes to solve the team's biggest problem.
Fairbanks already has eight saves this season and has been one of the few reliable options on Tampa's roster. The Rays lack the depth to contend with the Yankees and are likely to be sellers as the trade deadline nears. The Braves would be wise to go ahead and reach out to see if Fairbanks could be moved.
The reliever has a club option for the 2026 season worth $7 million before becoming a free agent. With this in mind, Fairbanks doesn't fit Atlanta's typical target of a cheap answer. However, the veteran is a reliable fix that is going to drastically increase the ceiling of your worst unit. This demands the Braves explore the possible fit and consider whether or not a likely high asking price could be worth the risk in a season that Atlanta is already on thin ice.