The offseason ended with only one financially significant deal, causing fans to wonder where that money went for the Atlanta Braves.
Aside from a few minor trades, the roster remained mostly unchanged until the Rule 4 draft ended and Dallas Keuchel came on board with a prorated $21.2M contract,
After signing Keuchel, Alex Anthopoulos told fans the team tried to sign Craig Kimbrel as well, but the cost rapidly escalated beyond their valuation.
The Atlanta Braves continued to pull away from the division but lacked a solid ninth inning arm. This caused fans to demand the team use prospect capital and financial flexibility to trade for a closer.