With A.J. Minter hitting free agency and Joe Jiménez sidelined for at least the first half of the 2025 season, if not longer, the Braves must strengthen their bullpen.
Alex Anthopoulos has shown a preference for making impactful bullpen upgrades through trades, as evidenced by acquisitions like Joe Jiménez, Pierce Johnson, and Raisel Iglesias. This offseason might follow a similar pattern, although one prominent target is already off the table.
According to Bob Nightengale, the Brewers intend to keep closer Devin Williams at least until the All-Star break before deciding whether to trade him. Williams has been one of baseball’s top relievers since his debut, boasting a 1.70 ERA and striking out 41% of batters faced over 222 innings in the past five seasons.
With Williams unavailable, the Braves may pivot to other options. One intriguing trade candidate is Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley. While not quite on Williams’ level, Helsley has been outstanding, recording a 1.83 ERA and 12.1 K/9 over the last three seasons. The Cardinals appear to be retooling, which could make him available.
The free-agent market also offers several appealing relievers, including Tanner Scott, Clay Holmes, Jeff Hoffman, Kenley Jansen, and Carlos Estévez. Beyond external options, the Braves could look internally to fill bullpen needs. Reynaldo López could transition to the bullpen if the rotation is overloaded, and Daysbel Hernández might be ready to establish himself as a high-leverage option.
Given the circumstances, it’s likely Anthopoulos will bring in at least one external addition—possibly more—to address the bullpen’s pressing needs.
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