Atlanta Braves fans witnessed the departure of experienced starting pitcher Charlie Morton on the same day the Los Angeles Dodgers signed Korean infielder Hyeseong Kim.
Baseball teams cannot purchase their way into October. Spending the most money in free agency does not guarantee a playoff spot, and offseason winners do not win titles.
However, the process of putting together an MLB championship roster begins in the winter. At the very least, offseason actions can generate confidence and hope among fans.
Just a few days into the new year, hope is in short supply in Braves Country, as the fan base endured yet another difficult day in what is quickly becoming a depressing offseason.
The Baltimore Orioles signed Braves starter Charlie Morton to a one-year contract on Friday. Atlanta fans will now witness the 41-year-old finish his career in the American League.
It only adds to Morton’s misery that he agreed to pitch in 2025 for less money than he made last year. He will earn $15 million during his one-year contract with the Orioles.
Why the Braves were willing to allow a second starter who pitched more than 160 innings last season depart this winter on a deal worth $5 million less than last season is hard to explain. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the defending World Series champions, opened their wallets again on the same day.
The Dodgers signed Hyeseong Kim, a Korean infielder, to a three-year agreement on Friday. The San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Angels, Seattle Mariners, and Chicago White Sox were also reportedly interested in Kim.
Kim batted.326 with a.841 OPS, 90 runs, 75 RBI, and 30 stolen bases in the KBO last season. He has had an.842 OPS over the last two years and a.304 hitting average every year since 2021 while playing in Korea.
With Kim joining Major League Baseball, the rich grow richer, as the Dodgers appear to be determined to include the top Asian baseball teams in their minor league system.
The Braves did not “lose out” on Kim since they never showed interest. It would also have been psychologically worse for Atlanta if Kim had joined an NL East team that competed with the Braves.
However, with Kim moving to Los Angeles, the distance between the Braves and the top of the National League appears to be widening.
Furthermore, with the Braves seemingly uninterested in re-signing Morton in recent weeks, the franchise appears fine with that situation.
Ultimately, that is unlikely. Alex Anthopoulos, the Braves’ general manager, may have a grand plan that fans will not see until late March at the most.
But Braves Country is understandably getting antsy to see the organization’s actions prove there is some kind of master plan.