The Braves have interest in Sonny Gray, as MLB Network’s Jon Morosi (X link) describes Atlanta as “one of the top suitors” for the right-hander’s services. The Twins (Gray’s former team), Cardinals, and Phillies have all been linked to the free agent at various points this winter, though Philadelphia is probably off the board after re-signing Aaron Nola earlier today.
Intriguingly, Morosi and ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported that Atlanta also made a push to sign Nola, indicating that the Braves have their eyes on a big rotation upgrade. Reports from last week suggested that the Braves were targeting pitching help, and The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal wrote earlier today that “at least front-line starter” seems to be on Atlanta’s wishlist
As Rosenthal and others have observed since Friday’s non-tender deadline, the Braves made a flurry of cuts to their arbitration class, as a series of trades, releases, and non-tenders resulted in 10 open spots on the 40-man roster and almost $14MM shaved from the budget. The Braves were planning to increase payroll anyway in 2024, yet naturally every dollar counts in a situation where Atlanta might have to outbid other teams for a top free agent hurler.
MLB Trade Rumors projected a four-year, $90MM deal for Gray, who ranked ninth on our list of the offseason’s top 50 free agents. The three-time All-Star has been solid for most of his 11-year career, but 2023 was arguably Gray’s best season, as he delivered a 2.79 ERA over 184 innings for the Twins and finished second in AL Cy Young Award voting. While Gray’s past injury history is a little checkered, his performance last year likely helped calm some doubts over whether or not Gray can remain a productive and durable arm as he enters his age-34 season.
It is possible that the Braves view Gray as, at the very least, a successor to Charlie Morton as the rotation’s veteran stalwart. Morton came to Atlanta in advance of his age-37 season and has been very effective over his three seasons with the team, to the point that the Braves exercised their $20MM club option to bring Morton back for 2024. Morton is now 40 years old and often considering retirement, while Max Fried can be a free agent next winter, so Atlanta could use another longer-term pitcher to pair alongside Spencer Strider.
Atlanta president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos has been pretty measured in his free agent pursuits in his six years running the front office. Marcell Ozuna’s four-year, $65MM deal is easily the largest contract the Braves have given out in the Anthopoulos era, with most of their other signings trending towards one- or two-year deals with experienced veterans (i.e. Kenley Jansen, Josh Donaldson, Morton’s initial deal). Because the Braves surpassed the luxury tax threshold in 2023, they’d also have to give up two 2024 draft picks and $1MM in international draft pool money to sign a qualifying-offer rejecting free agent like Gray.
However, it could be that this is simply an extra price that Anthopoulos is willing to pay to bolster the rotation. While the Braves’ starting pitching has been more than solid in recent years, it has fallen short in the playoffs the last two years, plus the Braves navigated a lot of rotation injuries last year in particular. Since there’s no indication that Atlanta’s powerful lineup is going to slow down, improving the pitching staff might be the last step necessary in getting the Braves back to the World Series.
Gray grew up about 5 hours from Atlanta. Also about 5 hours from St Louis. I feel like those are the 2 teams that are the top contenders for him. The Braves just gave Morton a pile of money if they want him they will probably get him.
He grew up 3 and a half hours from Atlanta, and almost 5 hours from St. Louis. Get your facts straight!
The real question is: Will the Braves actually pay Sonny Gray?
Smyrna, TN is less 3.5 hours from ATL. Did he grow up somewhere else?
Ok you got me. Pat yourselves on the back.
@Joel. I feel you. I can almost see walsh screaming into his device, throwing his beer against the wall because of your great and terrible error that has costs millions of lives, orphaned children all around the world and has thrown nations into chaos and disorder. You didn’t know it was so important to check Google maps for accurate drive times, did you. >=}}
Yeah it’s a little weird how people get so worked up. The Run DMC guy was mad about something I said to him in another thread so he jumped on this like a fly on you know what. I know that extra 90 minute drive time changed everything lol.
@Joel P = you’ve mistakenly perceived me to be mad multiple times. I already explained that I posted only a couple of seconds after the first poster. Not sure why it’s weird for a Braves fan commenting on a Braves post or being a jerk for seriously inquiring where Gray’s hometown is, but here we are. I’ll chalk it up to being lost in translation and not being to able to delete posts after edit time expires or page refreshes. Sorry if you felt ganged up on, that was not the intention.
Why would you ask me where his hometown is if you looked it up yourself. You think I know something you don’t know?
It’s cool man not a big deal. Odds are Gray signs with the Braves imo. I think the Cardinals want him too but the Braves are a better team and the draft pick means more to the Cardinals because it’s a higher pick.
Because you stated “he grew up 5 hours from Atlanta” without actually saying where he grew up. I didn’t know if your comment meant (Smyrna, TN) or if you knew something I didn’t, which is why I was asking.
@RunDMC an observation, you never actually make a comment, only comment on others comments. You ever reflected on why that is?
Quite the window into the anonymous internet commenter’s personality when you have to dig at so many people.
Carry on.
Forgive Run DMC. He’s mad that the Braves didn’t sign Nola.
Again it was my mistake.
Not really sure why my comments are being scrutinized, but I’m not sure not sure how I’m any different than most commenters on here, especially when they come late into a post and there are already dozens of comments already made. If something needs to be said, I comment, whether it’s the the first comment or a reply.
My comment on this thread was only a statement of fact made evidently a few seconds after someone already made a similar correction of fact. Had I noticed it during the post edit time, I would have deleted it, to not appear like someone is ganging up on the orig commenter, but I didn’t catch in time. Considering the orig commenter never stated where Gray grew up, I seriously was inquiring.
I encourage you to use the mute button. I can take it.
I have the exact same philosophy, unless I feel there is a valid viewpoint that hasn’t been made yet.
I’m not very likely to just add a comment on the end of the chain if it is 100+ comments long, so I’ll reply to another comment that sparks something, whether I agree or disagree…
I really don’t think that it is all that uncommon..lol
DMC is actually one of our more pleasant posters. I mean you just saw how how walsh just about had an aneurysm over another posters miscalculation on drive times.
I just found it a bit in bad taste because we were arguing about Nola in another thread and he jumped into this one to repeat something someone had already said.
I looked it up a while back. I got mixed up with how far he was away from Atlanta. Just correct it you don’t need to be a jerk about it.
That appears to be .01% of a players decision to sign with a team. The other 99.99% cones down to money and years on a contract
This is coming from a Padres fan. How many guys did they try to overpay before they found Boegarts?
They overpaid for Bogaerts too.
Nice stats, but I think it varies. I think most do look for money, but 99% to 1% is a huge stretch.
Let Google maps settle this argument
He grew up 35 hours from Seattle. I bet he ends up there to get as far away from Smyrna as possible
Lol
Lol
Supposedly he grew up a Reds fan.
How the competition is already going for me:
And you’ll say Buzz stop losing we’re tired of you losing losing losing.
Nobody cares.
This confirms he will not sign with Braves.
Why the Reds aren’t on that list is a mystery. They know him as well as anyone and need his services.
Knowing Po Boy’s lack of bringing established major league talent in though, I guess it is no mystery after all.
The mystery is why some of you are Reds fans. Cheap owner. Awful gm. Won’t pay anyone more than Griffey 3.7m. That team will never win. Go find another team that spends $ to your liking.
You must be young, if you think most people would go shopping for a new team like you’re at Walmart.
You root for the team despite the awful owner, but I agree with your point. The Reds need new owners.
Which one belongs to the Reds? Certainly none of the top free agents.
I would root for the Owner. If I rooted. The team can only be as good as the owner. The owner can change the team name or even move the team to another city.
Owners come and go. Sometimes a lot.
Hopefully Reds ownership doesn’t go anywhere for a long time. I like them.
I’m confused, Dream. The Reds ownership is horrid but you laud Pirates ownership, which has been equally horrid
It’s early in the off season but starting pitchers are already falling off the board. Why is it that you just know the Rich Hill/Mike Clevinger/Dallas Keuchel types will always have a place to go as long as these types of owners are in charge
As a Pirates fan, I feel the pain of Reds fans. Same old baloney. And a shame in that both teams now have promising young position players
@misterfigs I think Reds ownership is fine.
I’ve never been a fan of Gray although, he’d be like a Cy Young candidate on the Pirates current staff
I get that the rich get richer, but it would be nice for “cheaper” owners to at least try to appear as if they want to build a contender
Pirates should of signed him last year instead of spending money on Rich Hill.
He wasn’t a free agent last year. Not really cheaper owners but poorer owners. SD being a 1 sport town couldn’t sustain trying to compete with the big boys. What the Reds Pirates have spent in the past is about all they could spend. Pirates should address their pitching and good odds it will be successfully. Should have some prospects coming as well.
Oh, I thought he was a free agent last year and ended up signing with the Twins on a one year deal. Never mind, I see he was a Twin in ’22, my bad.
@rond Traded to Minn from CIN before 2022 season. Had 2023 option MIN picked up.
@misterfigs I think Gray would be like a Cy Young candidate on the Twins.
Your attempt at false narratives won’t work on me. If they are cheap and don’t try to appear like they want to build a contender then there was no reason to extend Hayes Reynolds. They could have traded them and no one would have been surprised. Nutting being cheap. Perpetual rebuild. No need to give Skenes record contract. Could have taken Jack Wilson’s boy. Oh we just love him and being Jack’s son we know he has a great makeup. I could hear their bs now and Nutting could have pocketed millions. No need to sign Hill Santana Hedges. Nutting could have pocketed 15 million there. And there was no reason to sign Hedges.
As a Bulls for for 30 years, I can confirm I’m middle-aged, very stubborn when it comes to my favorite teams, and I’ve also been miserable the last several seasons.
Braves, UGA Bulldogs, and 49ers I’m as happy as can be..lol
@richardc: Seems like you’re just a front runner.
You flatter yourself, as if I would care to employ a “false narrative” to somehow win a debate with a self professed know-it-all. Coming from someone who proclaimed the combination of Suwinski and Joe in the outfield was akin to a spot of the all-star team might have won you the love of the analytics crowd but continues to be a memorable laughing point for everyone else
I enjoy your usage of pretzel logic and how you flip flop as the wind blows
I am simply a tired….old… dude….and exhausted by the endless stream of baloney. When you provide such prose, I am reminded of Roy Hobbs’ question for Max Mercy: “Did you ever play the game, Max?”
I’m sure the Reds are interested in Sonny but Sonny gets to name his price & team now.
Sonny needs nerfed. Too op.
I’m sure the Reds are interested in Sonny but Sonny gets to choose his team & price now.
I’m a reds fan. A few years back, like 2 rebuilds ago, I tried rooting for a new team. It didn’t work. The heart wants what the heart wants.
That being said, if Braves want Gray – he will 100% sign there. Especially over the reds. Braves will pay as much or more than any team for his services, are a premier team in baseball, and he will compete every year for playoffs.
And finally, why wouldn’t the reds be in on gray !? They absolutely are and it’s ridiculous to think otherwise. Just like it’s ridiculous to think gray is going to pick the reds over Atlanta or a team like Houston or Texas if they wanted him. The best players go to the best franchises or atleast if they aren’t the best franchise; at least the ones who have $$$
Probably not easy but if you hate ownership that bad find ownership you like. Or just accept it and root for Reds as they are. Would take massive change in revenue sharing for them to even sniff 200m. Maybe with inflation and global growth they can get to 150m next decade.
Hope u get this response !
So, good thing about Krall is that this is like his 4th rebuild. And when the family bought the team – it’s not like they are like “let’s but this and milk it for all it’s worth” they bought it to win imo. They got the money and now they have the experience to do so after so many failures and seeing so many others like rays and A’s create sustaining success.
What I’ve seen the reds do well over past 5 seasons is identify talent. They are doing that as good as anyone right now with there 40 loaded!, minors loaded too still and it’s absolutely loaded with top end international talent.
So my hopes is this is the reds new long term business strategy to operate a lot like the rays. trade everyone when they hit peak value and keep reloading the farm over and over again to always put a good product on the field.
Reds have 6 capable starters. So they aren’t desperate and trading for some older dude giving up more than india is insane ! They’ll sign a couple guys- prob good ones but it’s not easy to get free agents to sign and stay in cincy so when they miss out I’m not calling them cheap- they have gave out some of the worst contacts in baseball history !
This seems like such an obviously perfect married price point, player, team, etc.
4 years/$91M guaranteed with a $22M option that could take it to 5 years/$110M would be my guess?
Completely agree ! Braves where in on Nola, Nola used them to get more out of philis, Braves move onto next best option.
Make it happen captain
Braves love their farm and drafts and you throw a large contract on top of that with the tax, I see them making trades before signing guys.
The Braves stuck too long with hoping Soroka would come back strong. If Bummer rebounds, then the trade was ok.
They need to find another strong starter, because although they have been able to promote from their farm for years, it definitely looked a little thin last year.
They need 2 starters
@steelerbravenation :
(I actually posted this on the free agent article two days ago…and Nola has since resigned with the Phillies but I still believe Atlanta will target 2 pitchers!)
I could see Atlanta targeting either Joc Pederson or Lourdes Gurriel, jr. to help in the outfield.
I could also see them going after one of either Sonny Gray, Jordan Montgomery, or even Aaron Nola and in addition signing yet another starting pitcher out of guys like Michael Wacha, Michael Lorenzen, Seth Lugo or even Sean Manea.
So an outfielder and two different starting pitchers (but not two from the top tier).
Wow, you have big plans to spend a whole lot of money. Good luck with that.
@BradBaar: to be honest throughout the recent years I’d normally agree that it isn’t the Braves normal operating method to spend a bunch in free agents, but because of several other factors, I think that Atlanta may actually seek to fill a few holes through free agents, ESPECIALLY the gaps in the starting rotation.
I don’t think the Braves need two more starters. The way I see it, they’d be in great shape if they can add one. If it’s Gray, I assume the rotation goes:
Strider
Fried
Gray
Morton
Elder
Even after the trades, they still have Dodd, Ynoa and AJ to make starts in the regular season. If you can add another veteran on the cheap, then okay. I wouldn’t call it a “need” though. The biggest Achilles heel the Braves have had is not having three healthy starters for the postseason. Between those top 4 arms, if you have at least 3 to make postseason starts, they’re not bad off.
I’d rather they make a strong push to re-sign Fried than spend money to make Morton a 5th starter for a year.
They have tried to get Fried to an extension. Damn near everyone that is anyone has gotten extension offers. I really believe either him as a player rep will never sign a team friendly deal and imo he clearly want to go back to the West Coast.
There are rumors that he has said that openly.
@dbd. Who exactly is left to trade? Braves just gave a bunch of guys away this week for really nothing else than Bummer.
They didn’t move any of their top prospects so all of their top 10-15 are still available. Most of their capital are pitching prospects which is very valuable.
Vaughn Grissom
Braves should have traded Grissom like 3 years ago. Let it go. No one wants him.
It’s imperative to add another top starter to ensure the rotation has quality options in October and beyond 2024. Losing the picks and bonus $ is significant but this would allow AJSS, Waldrep and other top prospects more time to develop.
While I agree, does it have to happen now if the price isn’t what the Braves want? Why put a potential bad contract on the 2026 and 2027 books to win in 2024?
Next year’s class features Corbin Burnes, Walker Buehler, Max Fried, Tyler Glasnow, Zach Wheeler, Shane Bieber and Kyle Hendricks.
Why not add depth that can get you through 162 games, potentially acquire one of those arms if available at the deadline and then make a run next offseason when the market is loaded?
A lot of what happens next year is going to depend on what happens with Fried. If they can lock Fried up, I don’t think they need to spend the money on any of the other names you mentioned. If not, they need to get one. If we say, hypothetically, Fried leaves- signing Gray wouldn’t prevent the Braves from doing that. Max is estimated to make 21m this season, and they’d have Morton’s money coming off the books. Gray probably slides into the role Morton has occupied as the veteran pitcher, slotting 3rd or 4th in the rotation, making 15-20m.
I get the argument for depth. The 162 hasn’t been an issue for the Braves, though- it’s been the next 5.
2 hours later…
Braves Sign Sonny Gray To X#-Year Contract
Not gonna happen.
Why? It seems like a perfect fit. AA has given up a comp pick via signing a QO already twice with ATL (Ozuna/Will Smith), so why not someone that could be a frontline starter for much less than what others expect (see Nola’s price tag)? Also, with his newfound sweeper use, he’s not overly reliant on velo that he can age better than most, though it’s not a lot of years.
I agree with everything DMC said. Gray is may be a tier below Nola, but he should be significantly cheaper. He’s a perfect fit for Atlanta, who are still significantly ahead of the Phillies.
World Series results aside, the Braves are the best team in baseball at the moment.
Yes they are.
Because the Braves don’t spend $ in free agency. I didn’t pick one person from the top 50 FA to ATL. Most likely a trade for a 4/5th starter.
Please let this happen.
If it’s the Braves they’re gonna talk him into/he is personally fine with $22M or so a year for only a few years. But if he was going for the bigger contract possible, he could probably get close to 7 years/$182M or so.
He’s absolutely going to leave tens of millions in the table.
He can’t play the NY card to drive up his salary. Neither the Yankees (obviously) not the Mets will touch him.
He wouldn’t touch them anyway. I doubt LA either.
Why is everyone touching him? Leave him alone.
People get their kicks in different ways.
the guy is 35. NO ONE is giving him 7 years. Braves won’t “talk” him into anything either. he’ll go where he wants. no matter where that may be. I guarantee he won’t leave 10s of millions on the table to pitch anywhere. He might give a preferred discount, but if team A offers him “10s of millions more” than team B, he’ll be pitching for team A. He may prefer Atlanta, he may not. But if Atlanta offers 22 a year, and St Louis offers 27 a year, he’ll be a Cardinal, and vice versa.
Agreed – AA made Freddie publicly cry over 6, and we’ve never seen Gray in a Braves uni. Sonny could come with a Delorean, and AA still wouldn’t consent to more than 5.
Those aren’t the only two teams. Dodgers will have something to say. So will the Red Sox and Cubs and Angels and Giants, and that’s just the obvious, wealthy ones. None of the higher end SP’s are going to be gettable at a reasonable number this year. It’s all gonna be way into overpay territory. Just way too much competition.
Sonny Gray wants to pitch close to his home in TN, so if the Cards and/or Braves want him they’ll probably get him. Both teams are cash strong and needing a Gray-type of starter.
Halos need to offer 3 yrs 40mil. Can get to 45mil with incentives.
This is Sonny Gray. Not Tyler Anderson.
“2023 Cy Runner-up”: Sonny Gray — even Freddie Freeman’s agent could get $90M for him, lol.
They can offer that and get laughed off the phone by his agent.
You all make good points. 3/66 final offer!
Three years ain’t getting it done, man.
Can’t go 4/80. No way.
Makes sense after Nola turned his back on them.
I would think Gray is the perfect fit for Atlanta. Moves Morton to the 4th pitching spot and Elder to the 5th spot to open the season so that the Braves can let their rookies season in triple a.
Atlanta also most likely has a lot of money coming off the books end of 2024 with Fried; Morton and maybe Ozuna gone after next season
This is Sonny Gray. Not Tyler Anderson.
Ignore this. Mlbtr is putting my replies to subatomic all over the place.
Delete the ones you don’t want.
Salary cap and those 2 draft picks will prevent this…. Sadly
.
As long as he doesn’t go to St Louis , I want to watch Cardinals not get any pitchers ️
There is a certain delight to hear the “superior” Cardinal fans cry about that.
Hey, you hurt my feelings. Stop that.
Heard every team except for the A’s are interested in Gray.
Seriously though, I really want the Reds to sign him and Miley again. Let the reunion tour commense!
The A’s are interested in Gray. Jeff Gray. He’s been retired for a dozen years, so he’s Fisher’s type.
My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team.
The A’s are interested in Gray for the MLB minimum salary. They’re interested in anyone willing to play for the minimum. It’s just no one is really interested in playing for the A’s unless the other 29 clubs don’t want them.
Here’s hoping the Braves sign Gray and extend Fried.
Sonny Gray is a nice fit for Atlanta. He is a ground ball pitcher who is very effective to both lefties and righties, throws strikes, and is stingy with home runs. His velocity even ticked up a bit in 2023 over what it had been in 2021 and 2022.
My only minor concern with Gray is health. His 184 innings pitched in 2023 (his walk year) are the most he has pitched since 2015. In 2021, Gray was on the IL for 52 days dealing with a strained back, strained right groin, and strained rib cage. In 2022, Gray was on the IL for 57 days dealing with a strained right hamstring and a strained pectoral muscle. Gray was healthy in 2023, so perhaps his ‘strains’ are a thing of the past. Will probably take four years with a possible fifth club option year to get him.
I don’t care about that because of how good on paper the bullpen looks. He could be a 6 inning pitcher moving forwards. Fried & Strider need to be the inning eaters on the staff.
I want Yamamoto
I know it’s a different FO, but Kenshin Kawakami left a bad taste in the Braves’ mouths that still hasn’t gone away.
Look guys and gals. My Braves are both pushing the salary cap and don’t want to loose 2 draft picks and international money… we will be looking at pitchers that don’t have a commitment tied to them… that’s the AA way… we might bust the cap but we won’t do both by giving up draft capital. Trades are also a huge possibility.
Well you won’t give up any picks signing Yamamoto
The Braves’ trade pantry is pretty bare. If they get a starting pitcher on a four year deal and extend Fried, or sign another pitcher to be Fried’s replacement, then they won’t mind losing the picks. They’ll have four years to re-build their farm.
Perfect fit for the Braves and a short term deal which AA seems to like for pitchers.
Mark, this is not close to true. “Marcell Ozuna‘s four-year, $65MM deal is easily the largest contract the Braves have given out in the Anthopoulos era”
Riley, Olson, Murphy, Acuna, Strider, and Harris are all larger contracts.
Mark specifically said “in his free agent pursuits” w/regard to Anthopolous. None of the 6 players you listed were free agent signings. They were all extensions of a current contract. Ozuna’s 4 year contract is the largest FA deal given out by AA during his tenure as the Braves GM.
I can’t say
whether to sign Sonny Gray
When it came to New York
They learned to stay away
Of course, AA has tended not to let information leak before completing a deal. So this makes me a little nervous that Morosi is dealing with … rumors.
Braves also need to sign Fried to at least a 5 year extension
I thought the Braves won the world Series from the comments I read on these articles.
Aragon
The Braves were the best team in baseball last year
They did not win the World Series
Hope that clears things up
Moral victory crowd. The “organizations win championships, not players” type.
SZ
“The “organizations win championships, not players”
I mean, that’s absolutely true
Not sure what it has to do with moral victories, though
“I Didn’t See Organization Play With The Flu In Utah”
SZ
““I Didn’t See Organization Play With The Flu In Utah”
Jock is full of themselves, film at 11
Funny that Player didn’t win any championships without Coach
Elder & Lee to the Orioles for a Santander & Urias ??
Gray should keep his powder dry until Showtime, Snellzilla and Yamamoto sign. The usual suspects will then show up to overpay a mid tier FA rather than overpay a top tier FA.
Or maybe he should sign quickly because he said money wasn’t his end all be all and he wanted to go where he was wanted
You know how they determine who wants you the most in FA?
SZ
“You know how they determine who wants you the most in FA?”
Please don’t say “money”. That would be dumb
I do not see Gray being a Brave if the MLBTR projection of 4/90 is correct (and Nola got one year and $22 more than his projection). I get the need for starting pitching, but do we really want to pay a 36 and 37 year old Gray over $22 million a year?
Personally, unless it’s a trade, I’d rather fill out the depth with one year candidates like Giolito, Maeda, or Severino and grab an arm next year when the options will be Or do you want to wait til next year when the class is going to be Corbin Burnes, Walker Buehler, Max Fried, Tyler Glasnow, Zach Wheeler, Shane Bieber and Kyle Hendricks among others.
The Braves paid 39yr old Charlie Morton 20m last season, and that went alright. Unless you’re looking at a guy that gets by purely by throwing heat, I don’t think age is as significant for a pitcher.
If they went with your plan of Giolito, Maeda and/or Severino- then they better spend about 40m in LF, because they’ll need to score 10 runs a game.
Morton has been on a series of one-year deals, which are much easier to project than what a player may be in 3-4 years.
The larger point is why clog up future payroll when the options next offseason (and at the deadline) may be superior.
The problem with waiting until the deadline is, realistically, the Braves are going to be outbid for the best players by clubs with stronger farm systems. The Dodgers and Orioles both need pitching, and the Braves can’t outbid either with a trade package.
If you wait until next off-season, unless you lock up Fried, you’re replacing 3/5 of a rotation. Even if you’re going to spend, that’s a lot of heavy lifting. Locking up a guy like Gray now insulates you against that possibility, and it doesn’t prevent you from making future moves. They also don’t need him to be an ace. What they need is mid-rotation arms, and I don’t think he’s going to have a problem being that.
Didn’t realize they’d lose 2 picks and bonus $$. The Braves shouldn’t do this. Besides Gray is already 34. No way Atlanta under any previous GM would ever sign him. I’d rather they load up on depth or sign a few C tier starters, than sign Gray.
If the goal is to bring in guys that can help in the postseason, this isn’t the way to go. There’s no guarantee the Braves would have a better postseason with Gray in their rotation. They already have a postseason ace coming back from TJS who’s a big game pitcher regardless of how bad he can be in the regular season at times (Ian Anderson). The regular season means less than it used to. No reason to get carried away trying to be the best team in baseball top to bottom. Load up on depth.
Sign a 34 year old to a multi year high dollar deal. What could possibly go wrong….
Do they like him or do they “like him” like him? Cause I heard at recess he was holding hands with someone else in study hall