The Braves, Reds, and Blue Jays are making waves at MLB’s Winter Meetings as teams weigh big moves and strategic gambits.
The Atlanta Braves looked into the asking prices for Edwin Díaz, the free-agent closer, along with other late-inning relievers, but ultimately they did not sign Díaz. Part of the reasoning centers on their unique stance regarding players who rejected qualifying offers. When a team signs such a player, it sacrifices at least its second-highest draft pick. For the Braves, their first-round pick (No. 9) is protected, while their second (No. 26) is the Prospect Promotion Incentive pick awarded for Drake Baldwin winning National League Rookie of the Year. The Braves highly prize that second pick, which stands as the best among teams’ second selections. Notable Braves draftees that illustrate the value of this pick include Hurston Waldrep (24th overall in 2023) who posted a 2.88 ERA in 56 1/3 innings as a rookie, Cam Caminiti (No. 24 in 2024), and Tate Southisene (No. 22 in 2025), their top prospects.
If the Braves were to sacrifice the No. 26 pick, they’d likely target a position player or a starting pitcher rather than a reliever. That stance could shift, though, because several frontline arms that rejected offers remain on the market, including right-handers Zac Gallen and Michael King and lefties Framber Valdez and Ranger Suárez. How deep the Braves’ interest in these pitchers runs remains unclear.
Because the Braves did not exceed the luxury-tax threshold last season, signing a free agent who had rejected a qualifying offer would cost them only the loss of one pick. By contrast, the Los Angeles Dodgers exceeded the threshold and would forfeit their second- and fifth-highest picks plus $1 million in international bonus pool space in a Díaz deal that reached three years and $69 million with deferrals.
With Díaz off the board, the Braves continue scouting a back-end reliever to pair with Raisel Iglesias, whom they re-signed on a one-year, $16 million deal. They had explored right-hander Kyle Finnegan before he rejoined the Detroit Tigers on a two-year, $19 million pact, and they are also weighing Robert Suárez as a potential addition.
Turning to Cincinnati, the Reds are pursuing help but aren’t chasing a Schwarber-style blockbuster. They’re weighing several trade possibilities, including Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman Ketel Marte (owed $102.5 million over six seasons, with $41 million deferred) and Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Brandon Lowe ($11.5 million in the final year of his deal). The Reds reportedly offered Kyle Schwarber a five-year, roughly $125 million contract with deferrals and a homecoming appeal that would leverage his Ohio roots.
Landing Marte would likely require parting with top prospects, potentially triggering a sale of Gavin Lux (projected arbitration at about $5 million), though Marte’s overall contract is not viewed as prohibitive. The Rays have shown interest in Marte as well and could potentially bundle Lowe in a broader deal.
Beyond trades, the Reds are also pursuing numerous free-agent options, with several players offering defensive versatility that would let the club stay flexible in its acquisitions. The Athletic’s C. Trent Rosecrans has additional details on their next steps.
The Blue Jays remain active observers of the market. They don’t expect to move right-hander José Berríos, who’s owed $66 million over three seasons, but they continue to explore pitching upgrades, including both rotation and bullpen help, with Robert Suárez among the targets. One potential avenue for adding a reliever is trimming the outfield depth by moving players like Nathan Lukes, Myles Straw, or Joey Loperfido, among others.
The strategy around Straw is particularly delicate. He’s considered a clubhouse linchpin, lauded by teammates and even praised by Bo Bichette and Louis Varland for his importance to the team’s postseason success. Trading Straw, coupled with the possible losses of free-agent arms Max Scherzer and Chris Bassitt, could impact the Jays’ clubhouse culture—an element those involved with the club say is central to their October performance.
Around the league, several notable items emerged:
- Germán Márquez, 30, is at the meetings after Tommy John surgery and a stress reaction in his elbow; some teams view him as a potential bounce-back candidate now that he’s healthy and not pitching at Coors Field every outing.
- The Pirates, even after dealing Johan Oviedo, remain open to trading another starter in exchange for offensive upgrade, with Mitch Keller or Mike Burrows as primary targets, though they’d demand a significant return.
- Milwaukee is drawing interest in reliever Nick Mears, who could appeal to clubs seeking bullpen depth; he’s under club control for two more seasons and posted solid peripherals in 63 appearances.
- Colorado’s Jimmy Herget plans to enter spring training as a starter, a rare path for him given his career as a reliever; last season he posted a strong 2.48 ERA in 59 games, albeit with extended usage in late innings.
- The Mets have signed Carl Edwards Jr. to a minor-league deal, intending to slot him into depth in Triple-A; Edwards has long experience as a reliever, and 2024 in Mexico saw him making 14 starts with solid results, signaling potential versatility.
The Athletic’s Mitch Bannon contributed to this report.
