Taking stock of the Braves’ 40-man roster heading into the offseason

The Atlanta Braves are faced with roster shuffling due to the number of players on the 60-day Injured List.

• By
  
  Kris Willis
  
• on October 24, 2023 10:00 am

The Atlanta Braves and many other teams are awaiting the completion of the World Series before making decisions and roster moves for the offseason. The Braves will need to address their roster and make some early moves to align with the 40-man roster requirements when free agency opens.

Currently, the Braves have a full 40-man roster. However, after the World Series, eligible players will file for free agency, reducing the roster to 36. Additionally, they have nine players on the 60-day Injured List who will need to be accommodated on the “normal” part of the 40-man roster during the offseason.

Here is a breakdown of some upcoming roster decisions:

Free Agents (4): Jesse Chavez, Joe Jimenez, Pierce Johnson, Kevin Pillar

The Braves have four free agents, three of whom are relievers. Outfielder Kevin Pillar is the exception. The bullpen will be a focus for the Braves this offseason, and there is a possibility of re-signing any of these four players. The 40-man roster will decrease to 36 after the free agency filing.

Options (5): Brad Hand, Collin McHugh, Charlie Morton, Kirby Yates, Eddie Rosario

Five players on the Braves have contract options for the 2024 season. These options must be exercised or declined within five days after the World Series.

• Brad Hand’s option has a $7 million club option with a $500,000 buyout, which will likely be declined.
• Collin McHugh has a $6 million club option with a $1 million buyout. The Braves may not exercise the option considering his performance in 2023.
• Kirby Yates has a $5.75 million club option with a $1.25 million buyout. Yates did not perform well in 2023, but the Braves might still exercise this option.
• Eddie Rosario’s option is for $9 million with no buyout. The decision regarding Rosario’s option is uncertain due to his inconsistent performance in the season. The Braves may look for an upgrade in left field instead.
• Charlie Morton has the most impactful option at $20 million with no buyout. However, the possibility of Morton’s retirement adds complexity to the decision. The Braves may choose to seek other alternatives or run it back with Morton.

60-Day Injured List (9): Kolby Allard, Nick Anderson, Yonny Chirinos, Dylan Lee, Tyler Matzek, Michael Soroka, Kyle Wright, Huascar Ynoa, Sam Hilliard

Players on the 60-day Injured List must be reinstated onto the 40-man roster within five days after the World Series ends. The Braves currently have nine players on the 60-day Injured List, six of whom are arbitration eligible. It is unlikely that all these players will be reinstated, and some may be removed from the roster temporarily and re-signed immediately thereafter.

Summary

By the time the World Series ends, the Braves must have no more than 40 players, including those on the injured list, on their 40-man roster. However, they will also need roster spots for signing free agents and protecting minor league players from the Rule 5 Draft in the offseason. Therefore, some players currently under team control may struggle to retain their roster spot throughout the entire offseason.

DFA Candidates: Jackson Stephens, Chadwick Tromp, Braden Shewmake, Andrew Velazquez, Lucas Williams, Forrest Wall

Andrew Velazquez and Lucas Williams are likely to be cut since they were added as just infield depth. Braden Shewmake, despite being the most controversial name on the list, may also face being designated for assignment. Jackson Stephens was cut last offseason, so another cut for him would not be surprising. Forrest Wall put up impressive numbers at Triple-A, but his skillset is replaceable. The decision on Sam Hilliard, who is arbitration-eligible and out of options, may affect whether there is room to keep Wall.

Read more