Official 2024 Off-Season Thread!

I would go after Soto. Give up AJSS and Grissom. Having 2 .400 OBP bats at the top would be insane and we need someone with his patient approach in October.
 
Morton is likely the back up plan, imo. I don't think it changes what AA was planning at all really. He still wants to add an impact starter, but on a short term deal. The problem is, it's difficult to gauge the market this early with so many teams in need of impact SP and only about 5 or 6 impact guys available. And with Morton already being ready to retire, he probably wants a decision now rather than going through FA process and waiting on a call from AA.

You don't want to be pressured into giving out a really bad contract to a pitcher but you also don't want to be left holding a bag. Morton gives you insurance against that.
 
With us more than likely losing 2 starters after next year I don’t think AA has to have 2 or 3 year deal on a starter. He needs some stability in the rotation after Strider so I could see him going to 4-5 years on the right guy. Ideally we could get a guy around 25 years old but that’s super rare these days unless you trade for him so he’ll have to sign somebody through age 33-34 at some point. Yamamoto will have a ton of suitors but with his age he is almost the perfect fit.
 
Shane Bieber is also another obvious trade candidate. Guardians always seem to trade their aces with a year or so left on their deal. His value is down a little with the injury last year.
 
I would love Soto in this lineup. He’s the perfect #2 hitter to put in between Acuna and Riley. Problem is I don’t think the Braves have the capital to trade for him and is AA going to pony up the contract dollars to sign him long term? It would make no sense to trade him and not be able to get him to a long term deal.
 
Soto and Acuna wanna play together but that contract he’s gonna want next year he probably won’t get from us. My guess is he’ll be a Yankee.
 
While Soto is unlikely, he does fit the mold of a trade AA would make. Would AA give up a package starting with Grissom and AJSS, and then extend Soto for $300M? Probably not, but that’s definitely the type of deal he would make, even if the magnitude is much larger than what he’s done previously.

So while unlikely I would not be shocked if it happened. The Braves are now a Top 5 payroll team, and those are the moves made by teams with top end payrolls.
 
While Soto is unlikely, he does fit the mold of a trade AA would make. Would AA give up a package starting with Grissom and AJSS, and then extend Soto for $300M? Probably not, but that’s definitely the type of deal he would make, even if the magnitude is much larger than what he’s done previously.

So while unlikely I would not be shocked if it happened. The Braves are now a Top 5 payroll team, and those are the moves made by teams with top end payrolls.

Starting pitching probably becomes a big issue in 2025 with that deal
 
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