Braves Leave Door Open for Travis d’Arnaud’s Return

Braves Leave Door Open for Travis d’Arnaud’s Return

 

One of the biggest surprises around the league today came from the Braves, who opted not to exercise Travis d’Arnaud’s $8 million option for 2025. However, according to MLB.com’s Mark Bowman, Atlanta isn’t completely ruling out a return for d’Arnaud on a similar deal. The team simply wants to ensure they have the financial flexibility to address their more pressing needs first.

 

 

 

While this approach makes sense on paper, it’s a bit of a risky move, considering the lack of depth in this winter’s free-agent catcher market. Another contending team in need of a backstop could easily swoop in with a similar or even higher offer, making it tough for the Braves to bring d’Arnaud back unless he’s willing to accept a discount to stay.

 

 

 

 

This strategy also reveals a lot about the Braves’ confidence in their top prospect, Drake Baldwin, and their belief that he could be ready to contribute as early as next season. It also hints that the Braves might be planning to make a major move this offseason.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Since the end of the season, Atlanta’s primary focus has been trimming salary. From trading Jorge Soler to restructuring the contracts of Aaron Bummer and Reynaldo Lopez, the Braves are clearing significant cap space. With fewer immediate roster needs and payroll expected to rise in 2025 and beyond, it’s likely the Braves will target at least one big-name player this winter.