Brave Transactions: The Offseason Begins

Free agency is still getting started and teams are still awaiting news on some important rules for 2021, such as if the National League will utilize the Designated Hitter rule again, which could impact the fate of several players such as Marcell Ozuna, Michael Brantley, and Nelson Cruz. But teams have been making early moves, and the Braves are no exception. Here’s a look at what the Braves have done so far and the potential impact on the 2021 squad.

Braves Decline Option On O’Day

This winter looks to be a cold one for many teams reeling from a shortened season with no fans and cratering revenue. Liberty Media revealed in public filings that the Braves lost $15 million in the third quarter of 2020, on top of the $30 million loss in the second quarter.

The good news is that isn’t quite the utter catastrophe that other teams may be dealing with, and with its young core of cost-controlled player the Braves do have the chance to weather this nuclear winter better than some other teams. That didn’t however prevent it from making a curious cost-cutting move to start the post-season period.

Right-handed reliever Darren O’Day, who pitched to a 1.10 ERA in 17 appearances in 2020, was bought out of the option year of his contract for $500,000, saving the team a net of $3 million if the option had been picked up. Under normal circumstances O’Day’s performance and stature with the club as a bullpen elder statesman would likely have made for an easy pick of the option. This decision was mirrored across the league as some notable and/or surprising options were declined:

• RHP Charlie Morton (Tampa Bay Rays) $15M
• 2B Kolten Wong (St. Louis Cardinals) $12.5M
• OF Adam Eaton (Washington Nationals) $10.5M
• RHP Sergio Romo (Minnesota Twins) $5M
• LHP Brad Hand (Cleveland Indians) $10M

The tale of Brad Hand has to be one of the most chilling for the players. A top-ten reliever in baseball over the last three calendar years, Hand should have been a no-brainer pick-up at $10 million. Not only did Cleveland not pick up the option, but they placed him on waivers ahead of the decision in hopes that another team would select Hand and also save the club from having to pay the $1 million buy-out. Not a single team took the opportunity to get Hand for $10 million.

Almonte Added For Depth

The Braves did sign a free agent, journeyman outfielder Abraham Almonte, most recently of the San Diego Padres. Almonte is a credible defender in all three outfield positions and is a switch-hitter.

The 31-year-old has played in parts of eight major-league seasons, including 7 games with the Padres in 2020. Overall, he owns a .237/.298/.370 major league batting line in 1151 plate appearances, but a .284/.377/.473 line in AAA. If Almonte and his coaches can close the circle between those two batting lines, he could be a serviceable major league reserve.

Almonte’s contract is non-guaranteed, meaning he can be released or designated for assignment without the Braves picking up even part of his full agreed-to major league salary of $990,000.

This seems like a move to address some of the outfield depth issues that plagued the team in 2020. The team was forced to utilize prospect Cristian Pache as a reserve when various outfielders missed time with injuries. If a similar circumstances occur in 2021, even if Pache takes over permanently as a starting outfielder in Atlanta as expected, the team would likely want to avoid having to call up prospect Drew Waters just to fill in temporarily. The Braves prefer to call up top prospects when there is a clear opportunity for them to seize a starting role permanently.

Culberson, Foltynewicz Become Free Agents

Two long-time Braves were quietly shown the exit at the end of October.

Culberson was almost a complete non-factor for the Atlanta Braves in 2020 despite spending most of the season with the team and being included on the post-season roster. Once considered a strong defender at all of the infield positions when he joined the team as part of the Matt Kemp trade in 2017, Culberson has essentially become a right-handed pinch hitter only. Well-regarded by the organization and fans, I would not count on this being the end of his association with the Braves. If another team does not offer Culberson an opportunity, it would be unsurprising if the Braves brought Culberson back on a minor league deal.

The Braves could have retained the rights to Mike Foltynewicz simply by recalling him after the conclusion of the season, but instead left him on the Alternate Training Site roster and allowed him to depart as a minor league free agent. It was an ignominious departure for the 2018 All-Star and one of the first prospects of the rebuild to establish himself in the majors. Foltynewicz was expected to spend 2020 as he had spent most of the previous five seasons, as a member of the big league rotation, but a severe loss of weight during the spring COVID shutdown and an accompanying loss of fastball velocity forced the team to designate Foltynewicz for assignment after his first and only start for Atlanta on July 27. At this point it is likely best for both parties if he looks for an opportunity at a comeback with another organization.

Graffanino, Cullen Are Birdland-Bound To Complete Milone Deal

The Braves made only one trade before the August 31 deadline to reinforce a struggling rotation, sending two Players To Be Named Later to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for journeyman lefthander Tommy Milone.

Milone imploded with Atlanta, only pitching 9.2 innings before being designated for assignment.  Last Thursday, Atlanta fulfilled their part of the disastrous deal, sending 2018 8th-rounder AJ Graffanino and 15th-rounder Greg Cullen back to Baltimore.

While neither Graffanino nor Cullen were on the OFR Top 30 Prospect List update in July, both would have easily been in the top 40 if the list had extended that long. Graffanino is a sure-handed shortstop with an all-fields, high-contact swing. Graffanino arguably was the strongest infield defender in the organization, but injury and illness robbed him almost completely of a 2019 season. Graffanino is the son for former Brave Tony Graffanino.

Cullen enjoyed a strong season for the 2018 Rome Braves. An NCAA batting champion out of Niagara University, Cullen has a strong hit tool and decent power that could further develop. He’s also a credible defender at second base. We were projecting both players would start the 2021 season at the high-A level. The loss of Graffanino and Cullen hit the Braves right in their area of least organizational depth, the middle infield.

Braves Re-Sign Infielder Unroe

Last but not least, the Braves re-signed one of their pending minor league free agents, infielder Riley Unroe.

A former 2013 2nd-round pick by Tampa Bay out of Desert Ridge High School in Arizona, Unroe came to the Braves as a minor league Rule 5 draft pick during the 2017-18 Winter Meetings. In 2018 he played at three levels for the Braves, finishing up the season at AAA Gwinnett and hitting a combined .281/.361/.403 and 14-for-19 in stolen bases. Unroe is a solid infielder at all three infield skill positions.

Unroe was a spring training invite in 2020, and he went 8-for-18 with a double and a home run. Unroe would seem to have a shot at a spot on the major league roster as a reserve infielder, especially if the Braves non-tender Johan Camargo. Despite starting his pro career in 2013, Unroe still has some prospect cachet, and is only 25 years old. Unroe is the son of former big leaguer (and 2000 Atlanta Brave) Tim Unroe.