Braves General Manager Anthopoulos named as the “Greatest Offseason Surprise” This summer, Alex Anthopoulos improved the Atlanta Braves and was well rewarded for his efforts.
It would have been easy to sit this one out after topping all of baseball in victories (104), fielding one of the best offensive lineups in modern MLB history, and accomplishing all of that without complete seasons from Kyle Wright and Max Fried. Accept the 2024 club option of left fielder Eddie Rosario, hope for improved health from your lineup, and aim for another postseason appearance.
However, that is not Alex Anthopoulos’ style as President of Baseball Operations. No, Anthopoulos was inventive this offseason, making some trades to take on bad contracts in exchange for talent upgrades, taking advantage of the financial uncertainty that pervaded the entire sport (due in large part to Diamond Baseball Holdings, the league’s broadcast partner, and their ongoing bankruptcy proceedings). By adding Ray Kerr from the San Diego Padres, Chris Sale from the Boston Red Sox, and Jarred Kelenic from the Seattle Mariners, Anthopoulos strengthened the starting rotation, the bullpen, and the outfield combination.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/69987907/usa_today_16944154.0.jpg)
A lot of the feedback about Anthopoulos’ extension has been focused on the length – as Castrovince alluded to, it’s rare to see MLB executive contracts for such a long period, but it shows not only AA’s desire to remain in Atlanta but also the team’s ability to get a deal done when negotiating against the guy that usually does their deals.
Either way, life is good if you’re a Braves fan, and Alex Anthopoulos will be here continuing to prove that true for a while.
