It might be wise for the Atlanta Braves to seize the moment while Cy Young winner Blake Snell is still unpopular.
The front staff of the Atlanta Braves has been very busy preparing the way for a significant trade or free agency acquisition. Nevertheless, Alex Anthopoulos has not yet caught a large fish. This is partially because of Atlanta’s overall strategy—the Braves are methodical and deliberate in their movements—but it’s also a result of the team’s general inability to interact with notable free agents like Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani at the required level.
However, there’s still time and room for the Braves to make a big move that changes the MLB landscape. Since Ohtani’s trade to the Los Angeles Dodgers significantly complicates the Braves’ hopes of winning the World Series, it is really the greatest moment for them to step up their aggressiveness.
Yamamoto does not view the Braves as players, but there are still excellent front-line starters available. Spencer Strider is a reliable No. 1 ace for Atlanta, and after a healthy winter, there’s cause to think Max Fried may return to All-Star form. However, the Braves’ all-too-brief postseason run was marred by pitching, and the front office’s first focus heading into the offseason was to improve their starting rotation.
Atlanta may make a run at Jordan Montgomery or Marcus Stroman, but Blake Snell, the National League Cy Young winner, is the greatest free agent (apart from Yamamoto) that is currently available.
Furthermore, the window is wide open, according to Jon Heyman of the New York Post.
From the outside, it looks like there are crickets in the Snell market since so many high-rolling teams are waiting on Yamamoto. Anticipate the Snell offers to fly off the shelf once the Japanese celebrity chooses his American residence.
Snell, though, is probably not one to wait for Yamamoto. Why not throw all of the chips at Snell while the whole market is focused on Yamamoto if the Braves are set on signing an impact ace? Anthopoulos ought to act quickly to seize the opportunity.
Braves should target Blake Snell to round out pitching staff
It seems sense to have concerns about Snell as a significant free agent acquisition. At thirty-one, he will expect a substantial commitment in terms of money and time. According to Baseball Savant, he also had a walk % of 13.3, which was in the MLB’s fourth percentile, and gave up 99 bases on balls last season—the worst total in baseball.
Historically, Atlanta has shied away from paying veteran pitchers who are close to 30 years old for lengthy contracts. Fried, who is presently 29 and has an outstanding contract of his own, is much older than Strider, who is only 25. Bringing back Charlie Morton for what seems to be a farewell tour, the Braves dealt Kyle Wright, 28, to Kansas City instead of holding out for his comeback.
Aside from age (although he’s hardly elderly) and the walks, which are part of the generally alluring package, Snell still checks all the other boxes. A strikeout machine, Snell is. In 180.0 innings, he struck out 234 batters last season, finishing with a whiff percentage (37.3) in the 98th percentile. Snell frequently causes hitters to chase, swing, and miss with his 95.6 MPH fastball or by depending on a range of off-speed throws.
Last season, he topped the National League in hits per nine innings (5.8), ERA+ (182), and ERA (2.25). Snell can pitch better than anyone, any given night. With a revitalised Max Fried, an emerging A.J. Smith-Shawver, and the reliable veteran presence of Charlie Morton at the back end, the Braves might very well have two Cy Young candidates at the top of the rotation. That and the MLB’s top offence, which reached previously unheard-of heights in the previous season.
Signing Snell would be a major statement if Atlanta is serious about competing with the Dodgers and other high-profile spenders.
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