The 2023 season can officially end with the conclusion of the World Series this week. For the next five days following the World Series, no external free agents can be signed, but all players with expiring contracts have officially become free agents.
There are officially two for the Atlanta Braves: outfielder Kevin Pillar and reliever Jesse Chavez. (Up to five additional players might become free agents if their options are not picked up – decisions are due by Monday).
Pillar, who signed a minor league contract with Atlanta, worked his way into a platoon role on the Major League roster, appearing in exactly half of the team’s games and hitting.228 with 9 homers and 32 RBIs. Just days after the season finished, he sent a goodbye message to Atlanta, and it’s assumed that the 34-year-old will look for a better opportunity at a starting role with another franchise.
Chavez, who turned 40 in August, was having one of his best seasons in the second half of his career until he suffered a fractured shin off a comebacker off the bat of Detroit’s Miguel Cabrera, forcing him to miss the majority of the second half of the regular season. Struggling to return in time to make the postseason roster, it’s believed Chavez will want one more chance to go out on his terms, and Atlanta could very well bring him back on a minor league deal similar to the one he signed in 2023, which paid him $1.2M after making the major league club out of spring training.
Here are FanDuel’s odds for the top ten clubs to win the World Series in 2024.
Atlanta Braves – +600
Los Angeles Dodgers – +700
Texas Rangers – +800
Houston Astros – +800
Philadelphia Phillies – +1000
Tampa Bay Rays – +1300
Toronto Blue Jays – +1600
New York Yankees – +1600
Minnesota Twins – +1800
San Diego Padres – +1800
World Series Finale
The Texas Rangers won 5-0 on Wednesday night to complete a five-game sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Rangers won the wildcard round 2-0 over the Rays, the ALDS 3-0 over the Baltimore Orioles, the ALCS 4-3 over the Astros, and the World Series 4-1 against the Diamondbacks.
Hats go to the Rangers for a 13-4 postseason run, including an unmatched 11-0 away record.
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