The Braves may have won the World Series just a few years back, but nearly the entire core of that roster is no longer in Atlanta.
The mass exodus began with Freddie Freeman, who went onto sign with the Dodgers just months after the team’s first championship since 1995. Dansby Swanson would follow suit, while others like Joc Pederson, Jorge Soler, Adam Duvall, Eddie Rosario, and others each parted ways at different times. The latest of the bunch being Max Fried, and weeks before him, it was Travis d’Arnaud, when the Braves opted not to pick up his $8 million option for 2025.
The news came as a shock to most of the baseball world, including Brian Snitker. d’Arnaud was widely regarded as the best backup catcher in the game and was beloved in the clubhouse. $8 million was a more than palatable price tag for his services, but with so many other needs, Alex Anthopoulos had to make a tough decision…