The Braves’ quiet offseason might be the calm before the storm. Atlanta’s front office has a knack for pulling off surprise blockbusters, and their track record’s getting everyone’s attention.
Just look at their recent moves – they landed Chris Sale from Boston last winter (who went on to win the Cy Young), and the year before that, they snagged Sean Murphy from Oakland. Both deals came out of nowhere.
Now that Max Fried’s headed to the Yankees, there’s a glaring hole in Atlanta’s rotation. That’s where the San Diego Padres might come in.
The Padres have two intriguing arms that could fill that gap – Dylan Cease and Michael King. Both are 29, both are coming off impressive seasons, and both could be available.
Let’s break down their numbers. Cease posted a 3.47 ERA over 189 2/3 innings, racking up 224 strikeouts. King wasn’t far behind with a 2.95 ERA in 173 2/3 innings and 201 strikeouts. They both finished in the Cy Young conversation – Cease in fourth, King in seventh.
FanSided’s Cody Williams suggests either pitcher would be a perfect fit for Atlanta’s needs. “While the reported asking price will certainly be high, it could be a deal that ultimately works for Atlanta,” he writes.
Cease seems like the more likely target right now. He’s carrying a $13.75 million salary into 2025, while King just worked out an interesting arbitration deal with San Diego that makes him less likely to move.
The way things are shaping up, landing either pitcher would make the Braves even stronger World Series contenders. And given their history of surprise moves, don’t be shocked if Atlanta’s quiet offseason suddenly gets very interesting.
The Cubs reportedly asked for prospect Matt Shaw and more in trade talks for Cease, setting a high bar for any potential deal.
All things considered, the Braves’ front office has earned the benefit of the doubt when it comes to making these kind of moves. They’ve shown they know how to identify talent and pull the trigger at the right time.
