The Atlanta Braves are in an interesting spot as they prep for 2025. All signs point to one crucial step for them this offseason: getting their core players healthy and back to form. If Ronald Acuna Jr., Spencer Strider, Sean Murphy, and Austin Riley can shake off lingering injuries, Atlanta will be in a prime position to go head-to-head with anyone in the league.
Even with the looming prospect of losing Max Fried, having these key players at 100% would be a huge lift heading into a new season. But there’s a wild card that could mess up the best-laid plans in Atlanta—and it’s all about what their rivals are planning.
No name looms larger in the MLB offseason than Juan Soto. Braves fans know him all too well from his Washington Nationals days, where he posted a 1.118 OPS against them. When the Nationals broke things down and traded him to the San Diego Padres, it felt like a collective sigh of relief from Braves Country. But the Soto saga may be far from over for Atlanta, especially now that reports hint at the Los Angeles Dodgers possibly entering the bidding war for him.
The Yankees, Nationals, and Mets were already among the teams sniffing around Soto, and each brings its own set of nightmares for Braves fans. The Yankees seem to be in pole position for retaining Soto, looking to secure a marquee player who could lead them back to World Series.
Then there’s the Nationals—the very team that developed Soto and traded him to San Diego for a huge prospect haul. Bringing him back would be a masterstroke, instantly reigniting the competitive fire in Washington.
And let’s not forget the Mets, a team with both recent success and a seemingly bottomless checkbook. Fresh off an NLCS appearance, they have the cash and drive to go after a player like Soto without flinching.
But adding the Dodgers into this mix? That’s the nightmare scenario that Atlanta fans don’t want to see. Los Angeles has made moves in recent years that show just how seriously they take contending for championships, and their access to vast resources is no secret. Plus, with the flexibility offered by deferred contracts, like the one used to lure Shohei Ohtani, the Dodgers are more than capable of structuring a deal that keeps them loaded with talent while still wooing Soto.
Of course, at this early point in the offseason, the Dodgers’ “interest” in Soto could be more of a strategy than a reality. It’s common for agents to name-drop big-market teams to stoke competitive tension and up the ante for other potential suitors. But Braves fans know all too well that where there’s smoke, there’s often fire.
The Soto sweepstakes could go several ways. Maybe Soto’s East Coast preference will steer him away from LA, leaving teams like the Giants to make a big play. But suppose things continue the way they’re shaping up. In that case, Braves fans might be in for a nerve-wracking offseason, hoping that one of the most dangerous bats in baseball doesn’t end up rejoining—or worse yet, haunting—their division or joining an already-loaded Dodgers team.
