FILE -Atlanta Braves President and CEO Terry McGuirk speaks during an event celebrating the 2021 World Series champion Atlanta Braves, in the East Room of the White House, Monday, Sept. 26, 2022, in Washington. Atlanta Braves executives say business will continue as usual under a new ownership structure following a spinoff from Liberty Media. Perhaps most notable is fans will be able to purchase stock in the newly created Atlanta Braves Holdings, Inc., and become owners of the team. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File)
The Braves did a lot of shuffling early in the winter to create depth, particularly in the bullpen. Indeed, Atlanta enters the season with a relief staff that projects as one of the five best in the majors. But as for bigger-role acquisitions, we’re basically talking about Jarred Kelenic in left field and Chris Sale in the rotation. While those additions aren’t as sexy as what the Dodgers did, there is a lot of upside in both of these moves. Kelenic hasn’t fully blossomed into a consistent hitter who produces in line with his one-time status as a top prospect. Sale, of course, has been hounded by injuries for several years. If the Braves can coax both of these players into the kind of higher-level performance that they either have the potential to reach (Kelenic) or have reached before (Sale), then this roster really starts looking like a powerhouse.
Leave a Reply