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Braves have checked in on Anthony Rendon. Initial read: waters “a tad deep”
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 10, 2019
The Braves have reportedly shown interest in free agent third baseman Anthony Rendon, but the price tag was apparently “a tad deep” according to Jon Heyman. This comes as little surprise given the payroll constraints most assume the Braves to be under, but is still noteworthy given the club’s glaring need at third base. Rendon is highly unlikely to be a reasonable option for Atlanta given the other teams in the mix for his services.
#Braves continue to pursue 3B options in free agency. but are not in mix for Kris Bryant and are telling teams more likely they resolve their middle of the order bat target in free agency rather than via trade. #HoldOnToProspectsIfYouCan#MLBWinterMeetings
— Jim Bowden (@JimBowdenGM) December 10, 2019
Though the Braves are reportedly scared away by the price tag attached to Anthony Rendon, it appears the club does intend to address their third base vacancy through free agency, according to Jim Bowden. The rumored availability of Kris Bryant led many to connect Atlanta to that market, but Bowden indicates that the Braves are unwilling to meet what many believe to be an astronomical prospect cost to acquire the young star. For now it appears the Braves will focus on the free agent market, though this front office is hardly predictable and rarely allows negotiations to become public. These bits of information could be informative, but could also represent more public posturing from Alex Anthopoulos, which has become customary during his time as GM.