Alex Anthopoulos, who typically doesn’t give away anything, hasn’t been shy about the Braves’ goal of addressing the shortstop position. It’s been a problem for far too long, but the market could make it difficult for them to find a multi-year answer.
Many expect the Braves to simply find a way to re-sign Ha-Seong Kim. He was solid over the final month of the season in Atlanta, and both sides have publicly acknowledged how much they enjoyed the fit. Still, there remains at least a possibility the Braves approach the top free-agent shortstop on the market in Bo Bichette — a scenario Jeff Passan mentions in his latest piece for ESPN.
“But teams haven’t been scared off of Bichette at shortstop, according to sources. Beyond the Blue Jays, who have Andrés Giménez to play short but still could conceivably sign Tucker and Bichette, the Atlanta Braves and Detroit have holes at the most important position on the infield. The Yankees could use an upgrade over Anthony Volpe and Jose Caballero. The Mets aren’t inclined to replace Francisco Lindor at shortstop, but they do have room to improve at second and third, as do the Phillies.”
I’ve been pretty outspoken in my hesitancy to believe the Braves would seriously consider Bo Bichette for a couple of reasons. First, he’s going to be extremely expensive, and until I see Anthopoulos hand out a $150+ million contract to a free agent, I’m always going to be skeptical.
But more importantly, as great as Bichette’s bat is, the glove at shortstop is well below average. The Braves place a massive emphasis on defense at the position, making it difficult to envision them investing that kind of money in someone who’s already below average defensively and only getting older, which typically means even less range and arm strength.
However, there is one caveat. The Braves may believe they can improve Bichette’s defense, and they also know Ozzie Albies’ contract is set to expire in a couple of years. It’s possible they think they could squeeze a couple of seasons out of Bichette at shortstop before shifting him to second base. By then, the hope would be that one of their many shortstop prospects is ready for the majors, stabilizing the middle infield for years to come.
It’s not a foolproof plan, but it at least gives the Braves some flexibility if Bichette doesn’t develop defensively. His elite bat could be enough for them to take the gamble, especially after three straight years of struggles at shortstop. Depending on how desperate they are to end that revolving door once and for all, Bichette’s strengths might outweigh the concerns.
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