Having their worst season since 1990, the Atlanta Braves will be turning to free agency to improve in 2016, and one player they might go after is Matt Wieters, the Baltimore Orioles catcher.
The Braves won just 67 games in 2015, their worst season since a 65-97, which ushered in an era of prosperity, that included winning the 1995 World Series and 14 division titles. They’ve fallen behind in the NL East game with two sub .500 seasons, also something that hasn’t happened since the 90’s began.
Why Wieters? The Braves didn’t have a bad catcher this season, at least hitting wise. A.J. Pierzynski batted a .300 in his 18th MLB season, making just $2 million. There’s a chance the Braves turn to him and try to re-sign the player who’ll be turning 39 in December.
But Wieters, who is an Atlanta native and played college at Georgia Tech, seems like the more lucrative option. Sure, he’s a lot more expensive, being 29-years old, but he’s a 3-time All-Star and one of the best at his position when he’s not injured. He hit .267 last season and has played just 101 games over the last two years. However, between 2011-2013 he hit 67 home runs and besides their pitching woes, getting a catcher they feel good about is the Braves’ number one priority, which should make them go after Wieters as their first option.