As for free agency, Braves GM Alex Anthopoulos has a distinct approach. He tends to avoid bidding wars against clubs with deeper pockets and generally avoids long-term contracts. Instead, Anthopoulos is focusing on short-term deals with players who don’t typically enter free agency on a high note.

One of the most notable examples of this strategy occurred before the 2019 season, when the Braves sign Josh Donaldson on a one-year contract. After an injury-plagued period, Donaldson represented a gamble on Anthopoulos’ part, but it paid off in spectacular fashion, resulting in 37 home runs and an 11th-place finish in the race for NL MVP.

More recently, the Braves have taken a similar approach with Reynaldo Lopez. This time, it wasn’t injuries that stopped Lopez from landing a lucrative nine-figure contract; If anything, Anthopoulos recognized the potential of a multi-inning reliever and offered him a chance to start games again. Lopez seized the opportunity and had the first All-Star campaign of his career.

For the Braves, it’s about discovering untapped potential: small bets that can yield big returns. This strategy has worked well for Anthopoulos, and as the offseason approaches, there are plenty of undervalued candidates ready for consideration.

Nick Pivetta

The Braves have had a lot of success this season after acquiring a former starting pitcher from the Red Sox, so why not go back to the well? Braves fans should be very familiar with Nick Pivetta, who began his career with the Philadelphia Phillies, where he really struggled to a 5.50 ERA over four seasons. In fact, Pivetta never really had a good season. In eight years in the majors, he has not once recorded an ERA below 4.00.

However, this is not the directory’s fault. Pivetta has some of the best pure stuff in all of baseball, averaging 11.5 strikeouts per nine innings in 2023 and 10.6 strikeouts per nine innings in 2024. He also set a career-low career high for walks per nine innings (2.2) this season. It’s almost mind-boggling that Pivetta didn’t put it all together and have an All-Star caliber year, but that’s what makes him a perfect fit for this segment. The Braves don’t really need to start, but bringing in a high-upside veteran like Pivetta on a short-term deal makes perfect sense.

Walker Bühler

Walker Buehler has already experienced the highest of highs that Major League Baseball has to offer. He is one win away from his second World Series with the Dodgers and has already represented the National League twice in the All-Star Game. Entering the open waters of free agency with that kind of resume usually leads to a mega-deal, especially when it comes to showcasing the types of things Buehler has in his prime.

Unfortunately, Buehler has only made 28 starts since the start of the 2022 season, and although he had some moments in the postseason, he posted a 5.38 ERA during the regular season. The upside remains clear, but there’s no way any club can offer him a multi-year deal this offseason after all the injuries and inconsistency. It’s in the best interest of him and the club he signs with to settle for a one-year deal, rebuild his value, and enter free agency with a better version of himself when the next offseason.

The Braves love these kinds of contracts, but it will be very difficult for them to pry him away from the Dodgers, who would surely love to see this deal through and give him the lucrative contract he desires.

Tyler O’Neill

Unlike the other two on this list, Tyler O’Neill is coming off a very good year for the Red Sox. He’s hit 31 homers in just 131 games, so he’ll likely need more than just a one-year deal. However, O’Neill also spent several stints on the IL, and that has been the only glaring issue with him during his career. He played more than 100 games in a season just twice in his seven-year career and never played more than 138 games in a season.

As openly mentioned, the Braves have never been afraid of guys with injury histories, as long as they are willing to sign short-term contracts. They did it with Josh Donaldson and recently traded for Chris Salewho hadn’t had a healthy season in five years. Both of these acquisitions have worked out well for the organization, and Tyler O’Neill could be the ideal right-handed bat to slot into the Braves’ outfield.

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Photo: Grégory Fisher/Icon Sportswire