Top Five Free-Agents Who Could Still Interest the Braves

With Spring Training quickly approaching, here is a look at the Top Five current free-agents the Atlanta Braves should look to sign.

ATLANTA, GA - AUGUST 02: Atlanta Braves president, Alex Anthopoulos attends a press conference speaking about Austin Rileys contract extension and recent trades prior to the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Truist Park on August 2, 2022 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images)

As the weeks progress and Spring Training draws near, Braves fans have began to voice their frustrations on what had been a relatively slow offseason.

With players such as Max Fried, Charlie Morton, A.J. Minter, and Travis d’Arnaud no longer in Atlanta, Joe Jiménez out for the upcoming season, and lingering questions about Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr. following major injuries, it was fair to question the quiet nature of this current offseason.

Then last week, Alex Anthopolus made his first major move of free agency, swooping in out of nowhere to sign 2024 All-Star Jurickson Profar to a three-year, $42 million deal.

This move certainly addresses what was the Braves’ biggest need, adding a solid bat at a corner outfield position. Instead of handing everyday roles to Jarred Kelenic and Bryan De La Cruz, that duo can now operate in a platoon at the start of the year, before moving to bench roles when Acuña comes back.

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While Acuña is expected to return to the field for the majority of the season, we still don’t know how effective he will be upon his return.

This one move has allowed Braves fans worried about the 2025 season to take a step back and breathe. The roster as currently constructed is still a top-five roster in baseball. Are there some upgrades that could elevate the roster even further?

Absolutely, and there is still time for those moves to happen.

Ryan Yarbrough

Ryan Yarbrough is one of my top bargain free-agent reliefs pitchers still on the market. With A.J. Minter now a New York Met, there is a clear need for a left-handed relief pitcher in the bullpen.

Yarbrough, who made his mark with the Tampa Bay Rays, posted strong numbers in 2024 splitting time with the Los Angeles Dodgers and Toronto Blue Jays: 3.19 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 4.64 FIP, 79th-percentile barrel rate, 97th-percentile average exit velo, and a 99th-percentile hard hit rate.

Yarbrough is not the prototypical hard throwing reliever, but his ability to generate weak contact, particularly against left-handed hitters, makes him a valuable asset. Last season, Yarbrough posted a 0.55 WHIP and 22.8 K% vs left-handed batters, limiting those hitters to a .120 BA and .387 OPS.

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With the NL East littered with left hand power bats like Juan Soto, Bryce Harper, and Kyle Schwarber, it would be advantageous for the Atlanta Braves to add Yarbrough to a bullpen featuring other left-handed arms Aaron Bummer and Dylan Lee.

David Robertson

David Robertson is another relief pitcher I would target for the Atlanta Braves. He is not a lefty, but bullpen depth is at the upmost important for this current Braves roster.

The 40-year-old will be entering his 17th MLB season, but do not let his age fool you. He still remains a dependable bullpen arm.

In 2024 with the Texas Rangers, Robertson posted a 3.00 ERA, 1.11 WHIP, 2.65 FIP with a 79th-percentile whiff rate and 96th-percentile strikeout rate. At age 40, it is very impressive to see him still posting such high strikeout numbers.

Unlike Yarbrough, Robertson is that strikeout artist that many, including myself, prefer to see coming out of the bullpen. Soft contact is great, but the ability to punch out the 1-3 batters a relief pitcher will face has proven to be most effective.

David Robertson has averaged 1.37 strikeouts per outing since 2021, and posted 1.50 strikeouts per outing just last season.

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While his age raises questions, his consistency and durability make him a very attractive option to add to a bullpen in need of depth. His veteran presence and ability to miss bats would complement Atlanta’s young arms that will be relied on in the near future.

Take a look at a deeper dive into David Robertson’s free-agency here.

Kenley Jansen

The Braves do not need a closer, but bringing back Kenley Jansen could be a smart addition to solidify the back end of the bullpen.

Jansen, now 37, was a key piece of Atlanta’s 2022 bullpen racking up 41 saves before signing a two-year deal with the Boston Red Sox. Over those two seasons in Boston, he collected 56 saves while posting a 3.44 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP. In 2024 he showed he had plenty left in the tank, having a 28.4% strikeout percentage and limiting opponents to just a .208 expected batting average.

If Jansen is open to a reunion with the team he once dreamed of playing for as a child, it would be in an unfamiliar role. Raisel Iglesias will be the closer for the Braves in 2025, but Jansen could slide into a high-leverage setup role with opportunities to close out a few games throughout the year.

Jansen has familiarity with the Atlanta organization, and fellow Curaçao natives Ozzie Albies and Jurickson Profar would make him fit right back at home. With the Braves needing bullpen depth, a reunion with Kenley Jansen is a real possibility.

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Kyle Gibson

With Max Fried and Charlie Morton out the door and Spencer Strider returning from a second major elbow surgery, the Braves’ rotation is filled with uncertainty.

Chris Sale, Reynaldo López, and Spencer Schwellenbach are set to anchor the staff, but there is still roughly 330 innings unaccounted for from last season that the Braves need to fill.

Enter, Kyle Gibson.

Kyle Gibson has been a staple of consistency over the last three seasons, starting 30 or more games every year since 2022. With the St. Louis Cardinals in 2024, Gibson posted a 4.24 ERA, 1.35 WHIP, 4.42 FIP, and 2.22 K:BB. Overall, these numbers do not jump off the page, but a Charlie Morton replacement to keep the team in games and eat innings is the perfect role for Gibson.

Atlanta has built a farm system full of young arms that are starting to emerge. A.J. Smith-Shawver and Hurston Waldrep are two of the organization’s top arms, but need more time to develop.

Grant Holmes has posted underlying metrics that suggest he can potentially hold down that fifth spot in the rotation, but his services may be better used as a swing starter and in a long reliever role. At this stage of their careers, neither Bryce Elder nor Ian Anderson can be relied on either.

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The veteran presence of Kyle Gibson to anchor the back-end of the Braves rotation would provide the stability needed amongst a rotation of question marks.

Jose Quintana

Braves fans are quite familiar with Jose Quintana, stemming back to 2017 season.

Atlanta had serious interest in acquiring both Quintana and Chris Sale from the White Sox but ultimately fell short, finishing as runner-ups to the Chicago Cubs in the Quintana sweepstakes. Now at 36 years old, the Braves have another chance to bring him into their rotation.

Quintana’s 2024 season wasn’t spectacular, but he provided the durability and reliability teams look for in a back-end starter. He made 31 starts, finishing with a 10-10 record, 4.56 ERA, and 1.25 WHIP. While he won’t rack up strikeouts, just an 18.8% K rate in 2024, his 70th-percentile barrel rate and 79th-percentile ground ball rate are the type of underlying metrics Atlanta values in its rotation.

The other key factor that might interest Atlanta in bringing in Quintana is that mere fact that he is a left-handed pitcher. With Max Fried heading to the Bronx, Chris Sale is the only southpaw projected for Atlanta’s rotation.

As mentioned with Ryan Yarbrough, the NL East is littered with dangerous left-handed bats. Quintana isn’t necessarily a lefty specialist, but both Juan Soto and Bryce Harper have historically fared worse against left-handers, a value that only increases his appeal for Atlanta.

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With four spots in the rotation essentially locked in, the Braves could lean on a mix of young arms and a veteran like Quintana to handle the grind of a full season. He would slot seamlessly into the role that Charlie Morton has filled in recent years.

Have Patience

I’ll close with a reminder to Braves fans to take a deep breath. Yes, the Los Angeles Dodgers have have had an all-time great offseason, and the New York Mets added Juan Soto. Yes, the Braves have seen multiple departures from last year’s roster.

This team is GOOD. Honestly, it’s better than good. Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr. will be back in 2025. Austin Riley, Matt Olson, Ozzie Albies, and Sean Murphy are all healthy and ready to bounce back. Reynaldo López and Spencer Schwellenbach emerged alongside Cy Young winner Chris Sale last season. And now Jurickson Profar is added to the mix.

As the team is currently constructed, BetMGM has listed the Atlanta Braves with the third-best odds to win the World Series (+950), only behind the Los Angeles Dodgers (+250) and the New York Yankees (+800). There is no reason to panic.

Alex Anthopoulos has a proven track record of making the right moves at the right time. There are still free-agents available and trade negotiations will continue to occur. Have patience, and get ready for yet another extremely competitive Atlanta Braves season.