The Braves will undoubtedly look to add a couple pieces to upgrade the bullpen this winter. One guy the Braves appear to be linked to is Zach Britton:
It's my guess (on good authority) that Zach Britton will be closing for the #Braves next season. Guys like Markakis, Gausman, Flaherty have been selling Atlanta to him & the wheels are in motion. I'm told Atlanta is Britton's top choice in free agency. https://t.co/ibcyWGunst
— Mark Zinno (@MarkZinno) October 10, 2018
The fact that Zinno is calling this a “lock” is interesting. He is surely insinuating that this is more than mere speculation, but until the ink dries, you cannot bank on this happening.
Britton is no longer the elite closer that he was just a couple years ago. However, he would surely be an upgrade for the Braves. It is unclear if the team would be willing to hand him that role.
One thing is for sure, it is great to see that players are now wanting to play for the Braves. It also appears that the team chemistry that was compromised at the end of John Coppolella’s tenure is no longer a concern, as Britton’s former teammates have clearly had good things to say. However, simply watching this young, fun team was a clear indicator of that in the first place.