With A.J. Minter entering free agency and Joe Jimenez sidelined for at least half of the 2025 season—possibly the entire year—the Braves will need to strengthen their bullpen.
As we know, Alex Anthopoulos tends to make the biggest moves through trades, having previously acquired relievers like Joe Jimenez, Pierce Johnson, and Raisel Iglesias. This could be his strategy again this offseason, but one potential trade target is no longer available.
According to Bob Nightengale, the Brewers plan to hold onto closer Devin Williams until at least the All-Star break, after which they’ll reassess whether to keep him or explore a trade.
Williams has been one of the most dominant relievers in baseball since entering the league, posting a 1.70 ERA over the past five seasons and striking out 41% of batters faced in 222 innings.
As a result, the Braves will need to shift their focus to other bullpen options. Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley is now a potential trade target. With the Cardinals in a rebuild, Helsley may be available, and although he may not match Williams, his 1.83 ERA and 12.1 K/9 rate over the past three seasons make him a strong option.
There are also several intriguing free agent relievers available, such as Tanner Scott, Clay Holmes, Jeff Hoffman, Kenley Jansen, and Carlos Estevez. Additionally, the Braves have internal options that could step up to fill the gaps left by Jimenez and Minter.
Reynaldo Lopez could potentially be used as a reliever if the Braves opt for a stacked rotation, and Daysbel Hernandez might be on the verge of becoming a key high-leverage arm. While the Braves have various paths to explore, it’s likely that Alex Anthopoulos will add at least one external reliever, if not more.
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