The defending NL East champion Atlanta Braves are spending the early part of the MLB offseason investing on the bullpen.
Fresh off signing All-Star closer Will Smith, the Braves announced on Tuesday that they have re-signed veteran reliever Chris Martin. The deal comes in at $14 million over two seasons.
Martin, 33, was acquired from the Texas Rangers back in July to help fortify what was a shaky Braves bullpen. He ultimately posted a 4.08 ERA and 1.02 WHIP while striking out 22 batters in 17.2 inning with Atlanta.
By virtue of adding Smith and re-signing Martin, the Braves have now invested $54 million on two bullpen arms. It’s rather clear what general manager Alex Anthopoulos is focused on this offseason.