The Atlanta Braves entered the 2024 Major League Baseball season with sky-high expectations, and it’s not hard to see why. They were the best team in the National League last year during the regular season, racking up wins and looking poised for a deep playoff run.
However, the team was blindsided by an early exit in the postseason. This year was supposed to be a redemption tour, a chance to right the wrongs of last year. But fate had other plans.
Injuries, such as Ozzie Albies’, have been the dominant storyline for the Braves in 2024. Key players have been sidelined for significant stretches of the season, which has hampered their ability to compete at full strength. To their credit, the Braves managed to hang in there for much of the year, showing resilience and grit.
But now, as the season winds down, their playoff hopes are in serious jeopardy. The team’s once-solid postseason chances are slipping away, and fans are left wondering what could have been.
Despite the challenges of this season, there’s plenty of reason for optimism in Atlanta looking ahead to 2025. Many of the players who have missed time due to injuries will return next year, which alone should make the Braves a stronger, more competitive team. And while the 2024 campaign may not have gone as planned, the future looks bright, especially if the Braves can make a splash in free agency.
One area where the Braves could use a boost is at shortstop. Enter Willy Adames, the Milwaukee Brewers’ star shortstop who has been tearing it up this season. According to FanSided’s Robert Murray, Atlanta could be a great fit for Adames, particularly with the uncertainty surrounding their current shortstop situation.
Murray noted that Braves’ general manager Alex Anthopoulos is known for being aggressive when it comes to acquiring players who both fill a need and are highly regarded by the organization.
Adames, who has emerged as one of the best offensive shortstops in baseball, checks both of those boxes. He’s not only been a standout player on the field, but he’s also been praised for his positive impact in the Brewers’ clubhouse—an intangible quality that Anthopoulos has publicly stated he values in a player.
However, signing Adames won’t come cheap. It’s estimated that any team looking to secure his services in free agency will need to be ready to shell out between $150-200 million. That’s a hefty price tag, but it’s easy to see why Adames would be worth it for the Braves. His blend of offensive production, leadership, and ability to fill a critical need makes him an appealing target.
If the Braves want to return to dominance in 2025, adding a player of Adames’ caliber could be a game-changer. While it remains to be seen if Anthopoulos will pull the trigger on such a major investment, the fit seems almost too perfect to ignore.
