Why the risk-taking Braves are having baseballs most fascinating offseason

The Braves have not had the most star-studded offseason. They have not made the flashiest moves. They have not indulged in a substantial free-agent signing.

Yet no team has had as fascinating, or as transaction-heavy, an offseason as the Braves, who among other items have made nine trades, extended the contracts of two potential free-agent relievers, signed another free-agent reliever to a three-year contract to try to become a starter again and assumed roughly $20 million in dead money for 2024 to gain access to players they wanted namely, Jarred Kelenic.

The moves don’t come without risk, considering their three main acquisitions this offseason Kelenic, Aaron Bummer and Chris Sale arrive with questions about injury and/or underperformance and/or maturity.

But the Braves are better positioned than most to assume risk because they are not overly beholden to it. Their roster will return its top 12 players in Wins Above Replacement (Baseball Reference) from a 104-win team. That includes eight position players everything but a left fielder, the role which Kelenic will be asked to play and potentially bat ninth.