With A.J. Minter heading into free agency and Joe Jimenez sidelined for at least part of the 2025 season, potentially the entire year, the Braves will need to strengthen their bullpen.
Alex Anthopoulos is known for preferring big trades, especially when it comes to bolstering the relief core, having previously acquired Joe Jimenez, Pierce Johnson, and Raisel Iglesias. While this approach might be his preference again this offseason, one potential target is no longer available.
As reported by Bob Nightengale, the Brewers plan to hold onto closer Devin Williams until at least the All-Star break, at which point they will reassess whether to keep him or trade him.
Williams has been one of the top relievers in baseball since his debut, with a remarkable 1.70 ERA and 41% strikeout rate over 222 innings in the past five seasons.
With Williams now off the table, the Braves will have to look elsewhere. One possible trade target is Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley. While not quite on Williams’ level, Helsley has posted a solid 1.83 ERA over the last three seasons, with an impressive 12.1 strikeouts per nine innings.
There are also several free-agent options available, including Tanner Scott, Clay Holmes, Jeff Hoffman, Kenley Jansen, and Carlos Estevez. In addition, the Braves could consider internal options to help fill the gaps left by Jimenez and Minter.
Reynaldo Lopez could step up as a reliever if the Braves strengthen their rotation, and Daysbel Hernandez may be on the verge of becoming a reliable high-leverage arm. While the Braves have many options to explore, it’s likely that Alex Anthopoulos will bring in at least one new external arm, if not more.
