After spending relatively freely on notable free agents such as Marcell Ozuna, Charlie Morton, and Drew Smyly, the Braves have reportedly limited themselves to a very small remaining budget for the offseason. The revelation is curious given how quickly the front office acted in signing Smyly to a one-year, $11 million deal in November. The possibility exists that ownership reduced payroll flexibility later in the offseason, which might explain this signing, but either way it’s slightly concerning. The good news is that Atlanta largely returns the same roster that lead them to the NLCS just four months ago, with the exception of a couple bullpen arms.
The Daily Chop: Payroll Constraints, Ervin Signing, Player Previews, and more
