Braves prefer to keep their options open at designated hitter

ORLANDO, Fla. — The Braves have an opening at designated hitter that they’d prefer to alternate among their players.

Since the National League adopted the DH, the Braves have had Marcell Ozuna on their roster. Ozuna had a fascinating tenure marked with highs and lows, but he’s now a free agent. The team says it hasn’t ruled out retaining Ozuna — it remains notable it didn’t trade him in July — but realistically, he won’t be back.

“I would say that our preference would be to leave the DH spot open,” president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos said. “I’d say that’s where we’re leaning.”

Instead, the Braves can use the DH spot to keep both their catchers, Sean Murphy and Drake Baldwin, in the lineup. They can also use an alternating DH to get some of their everyday players off their feet more often, a luxury that eludes any team with a committed DH. It would be a new benefit for the Braves, who notably have developed a reputation over the years for their regulars.

The Braves have considered adding another bat, which could alter the DH approach, but the safe bet would be on them taking advantage of the versatility it can provide.

“I like that freedom, to be honest with you, as a manager,” new Braves manager Walt Weiss said Tuesday. “Now look, there are certain guys, if you can acquire an impact bat who fits in the full-time DH role, you’re good with it. If the guy is going to impact the game for you, yeah. Anybody would raise their hand for that.

“But — and I don’t think the door has been shut on Ozuna — all things being equal, I do like the freedom of getting guys off their legs. It’s like a half-a-day off. And using that position to do that; using that position for Drake Baldwin because I want to get Drake’s bat in there as much as we can. Drake hits right and left, he’s not a platoon guy. So at the same time, we have a Gold Glove-caliber defender in Murphy behind the plate. There is some nice freedom there with that DH spot open.

“Will that be the case when we get to North Port? I don’t know. But I do like the thought of it, unless we just get some big hairy guy who wants to DH for us every day.”

The big-name trade targets

Adding a premier bat might be more of a luxury. The free-agent market isn’t loaded with impact offensive players, and those who are — the Kyle Tuckers and Cody Bellingers — will require a substantial commitment. Given the Braves’ emphasis on pitching right now, it doesn’t seem probable they’ll add a flashy name to their lineup.

The trade market, meanwhile, is ever-evolving. There was some thought earlier this winter that the Braves could be interested in Rangers shortstop Corey Seager, the former Dodger who overlapped with Anthopoulos in L.A. and tormented the Braves in the postseason. But his contract — six years, $189 million remaining — and a limited no-trade clause that reportedly included the Braves (per The Athletic) muddied that situation. Texas also already made a contract-swapping deal in sending Marcus Semien to New York, lessening the likelihood of a Seager trade.

Twins outfielder Byron Buxton, a Baxley native, was another popular name linked to the Braves. Buxton has three years and $45 million remaining on his deal, making him an ideal fit financially (even if the roster fit wouldn’t be as clean). But the understanding is he’d only waive his no-trade clause if Minnesota is further detonating its roster, continuing a teardown that began last July. For now, the Twins have said they’re keeping starters Pablo Lopez and Joe Ryan. Buxton, who loves Minnesota and has hoped to remain, just hasn’t wanted to be stranded on a desolate roster.

Buxton expressed an affinity for the Braves during a conversation with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution at the All-Star Game in July: “My favorite players growing up were Chipper Jones, Rafael Furcal, Andruw Jones, the veteran guys back then. Just being a Braves fan, those were the guys who led the team that I was all-in for. I was a big Braves fan.”

He’s also represented by B.B. Abbott, the longtime agent of Chipper Jones who has represented plenty of Braves over the years, including recently Matt Olson, Chris Sale, Charlie Morton and Baldwin.

Alas, it doesn’t appear a Buxton homecoming is in the cards. At least for now.

Braves open to signing free agent who would cost draft pick

The Braves gained the No. 26 overall pick through the PPI program that rewarded them for Baldwin’s selection as rookie of the year. They would relinquish that choice if they signed one of the free agents who were offered and declined the qualifying offer, as it’s their second-best pick. The Braves received the No. 9 overall choice in Tuesday’s draft lottery.

Anthopoulos said the Braves would view a surrender-a-pick transaction comparable with a trade.

“It’s been a topic, there’s no doubt,” Anthopoulos said. “Part of it, I’ve been talking to (vice president of scouting) Ronit Shah a lot — it’s still tough for him to project come July — but I’ve asked him more than once, what are you thinking? What are you thinking will be there, what kind of talent? To me, it’d be the equivalent of a trade. There are guys we’ve been asked about in trades, prospects and so on, would we pick those guys with the 26th pick in the draft? Are they better than what we think we can get with the 26th pick in the draft? These guys in pro ball now that we think are good, we just know so much more.