MLB Mailbag: – MLB Commerce Rumors

Welcome to the primary mailbag of 2025! On this recreation, we study what the Braves, Pink Sox, Cubs and Mariners may do, and the way forward for first basemen Spencer Torkelson and Alonso Housethe Astros’ outfield choices are various Alex Bregman Locations, and way more.

John asks:

Braves followers right here questioning if the Braves will re-sign AJ Minter?

Invoice asks:

With market choices dwindling, who may Atlanta go after within the pitcher/outfield classes? Or will they depend on the youth’s hopes and present stadium choices?

Philip asks:

What do you see the Atlanta Braves doing? We’d like one other outfielder, a beginning pitcher, and two aid pitchers. Will we be frugal or will we try for high quality?

Bruce asks:

Can you expect what the often unpredictable Alex Anthopolous will get to play LF, SS and SP for the 2025 Atlanta Braves?

In making an attempt to guess how the remainder of the Braves’ season will go, it could be useful to first mission their payroll. President of Baseball Operations and Basic Supervisor Alex Anthopoulos he said in October Salaries will rise.

The Braves’ actions to this point this season do not match these of a staff that plans to extend payroll: decline Travis d’ArnaudDumping possibility Jorge Soler,Cash Switch with Reynaldo Lopez and Aaron Boomer Extensions (albeit not in a method that helps them pay CBT salaries), Ramon Laureano not being tendered, and most significantly, failing to signal any notable free brokers. It is also true that Anthopoulos’ feedback in October got here earlier than the Braves realized extra details about schedules Ronald Acuña Jr, Spencer Striderand Joe Jimenez. I can see how this is able to have an effect on the payroll allocation, however not why it might have an effect on the general payroll.

The Braves seem to have a CBT of $220 million in wage proper now, and on December eleventh David O’Brien of The Athletic wrote That the Braves “do not appear inclined to cross the $241 million (luxurious tax) threshold.” And that is after a $276 million CBT payroll run in 2024. Maybe in his “payroll is up” feedback in October, Anthopoulos was threading a needle that the 26-man staff’s precise payroll would improve on Opening Day, however their CBT payroll wouldn’t Improve. Precise Opening Day payroll final yr was $222 million, and the staff is price $197 million at present. The staff will even seemingly need to maintain the powder dry for mid-season additions.

Given O’Brien’s remark, we in all probability should not count on greater than $25 million in extra AAV to be added this season. The second tax restrict of $261 million may function a cap on the salaries of the Central Financial institution of Tunisia. So how can Anthopoulos enhance the staff with so many large names out of the roster now?

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