Bleacher Report predicts Braves land two marquee free agents

Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report released his list of the top 25 free agents available along with predictions, and the Braves came up all over the piece.

Raisel Iglesias

Free Agent Rank: 24
Landing Spot: Detroit Tigers (1 year, $16 million)

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Kelly has Raisel Iglesias leaving Atlanta after a very successful stint with the club, which is something I’ve acknowledged is very possible. Just about every contract prediction has him landing a one-year deal in the $15 million range — a very fair projection, but still one I could see the Braves failing to match, especially if Kelly’s prediction later on comes to fruition.

Tyler Mahle

Free Agent Rank: 20
Landing Spot: Houston Astros (2 years, $39 million with $22 million club option)

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Tyler Mahle is another Braves free agent whose status feels very much up in the air. He was unbelievable for the Braves down the stretch, posting a 1.99 ERA over his final nine regular season starts, then delivering two brilliant performances in the postseason. He undoubtedly made himself a lot of money with that run. The question is whether the Braves believe that level of production is sustainable.

Sonny Gray

Free Agent Rank: 11
Landing Spot: Atlanta Braves (2 years, $50 million)

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I’m not sure an offseason has passed where the Braves haven’t been connected to Sonny Gray in one form or another. He just feels like somebody Atlanta would target, and that price is fairly similar to the deals we’ve seen the Braves work out with Charlie Morton and Chris Sale toward the end of their careers. Gray is coming off a stellar campaign with the Boston Red Sox, recording a 2.72 ERA over 29 starts. His age is a concern, though, at 37, and he did experience a significant dip in his strikeout numbers this season.

Adrián Morejón

Free Agent Rank: 6
Landing Spot: Atlanta Braves (4 years, $80 million)

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Morejón would be quite the upgrade over Raisel Iglesias for the Braves’ bullpen — an area where Alex Anthopoulos hasn’t been afraid to spend over the years. But with so many holes to fill, I have a very difficult time believing they’re going to offer $20 million AAV to any reliever. Add in the fact that Morejón received a qualifying offer from the Padres — which would cost the Braves their 2nd- and 5th-highest draft picks along with international bonus pool money — and I’d be downright shocked if this deal came to fruition.

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Photo: IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire