The Winter meetings start this weekend, and for some baseball fans, it’s the most exciting time of the year because of all the rumors.
Others may be uninterested, but I am not one of them. I like the idea of a specific piece of news coming true; it’s almost like you’re playing GM in a video game.
Alex Anthopoulos may still have a few tricks up his sleeve. He’s done an excellent job of rounding out the roster and strengthening the bullpen, which is already in better shape than it was last year. Outside of the relief core, Anthopoulos brought back Charlie Morton, and the club is in a similar position as it was last year.
Left field has a hole, and many fans would like the rotation to have one more reliable arm, but the Braves are ready for another postseason run as they are now. That isn’t to say that improvements aren’t welcome.
The free agent and trade markets are ripe, and AA is certainly keeping an eye on them. Free agents Jordan Montgomery, Eduardo Rodriguez, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Adam Duvall, Tommy Pham, and Joc Pederson could fill Atlanta’s holes. Dylan Cease, Corbin Burnes, Tyler Glasnow, and Randy Arozarena are all possible trade candidates.
But none of those players are what The Athletic’s Jim Bowden wants to see in Atlanta next season. The MLB insider believes the Braves should acquire Shane Bieber in a trade with the Guardians this offseason.
Last month, the Braves attempted to sign Aaron Nola and Sonny Gray before they signed with the Phillies and Cardinals, respectively. Now, their best bet may be to try to trade for a right-handed starter, and Bieber could be a good fit if his medical reports are favorable to the Braves. Bieber had a 3.80 ERA and 1.234 WHIP in 21 starts this season but was limited due to right elbow inflammation. He will be a free agent at the end of the season.
The Braves could send pitching prospect Spencer Schwellenbach and middle infielder Vaughn Grissom in a package. Schwellenbach was drafted in the 34th round by Cleveland in 2018 but did not sign, and was then selected in the second round of the 2021 draft by Atlanta out of the University of Nebraska. This season, he went 5-2 with a 2.49 ERA in 16 games between Low A and High A. The 23-year-old is expected to begin next season at Double A and could advance quickly to the majors. Grissom can play second base, shortstop, and left field and projects as a 15-home run, 25-stolen base type of player when fully developed.
. He was called up to the big leagues in 2022 and has since slashed.287/.339/.407 in 236 plate appearances with five home runs and five steals. If that package doesn’t work, Atlanta could offer right-hander AJ Smith-Shawver for Bieber or bring in a third team with what the Guardians really need — a corner outfielder with power, which the Braves don’t have in their system.
Bieber would have fetched a haul that would have made a king blush a few years ago, but the 2020 AL Cy Young winner is a shell of that guy.
His strikeouts have fallen each year since 2020, when he fanned over 14 batters per nine innings, to 12.5 K/9 in 2021, 8.9 last year, and 7.5 this season. Much of that can be attributed to his decrease in velocity.
Bieber suffered a shoulder injury in 2021, which Braves Country is acutely aware of after watching the club trade Kyle Wright for pennies on the dollar. Bieber is unlikely to return to his former form, but his overall effectiveness remains impressive, with a 2.88 ERA in 2022 over 31 starts and a 3.80 ERA in 2023.
Bieber, on the other hand, is in his final year of arbitration and is expected to earn around $12 million. A deteriorating arm on a one-year, $12 million contract is not appealing. I could get behind it for a couple of mid-tier prospects. But anything more than that is a no-go.
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