The Atlanta Braves have had a busy offseason to this point, but that doesn’t mean they should stop making additions. After missing the 2025 playoffs in what was a disastrous season, no amount of additions can make fans and those who cover the team, feel entirely safe in an ultra-competitive National League.
Across Major League Baseball, the reliever market has been HOT, as many high-leverage arms have been eager to ink new deals. The Braves got a piece of the pie by bringing back closer Raisel Iglesias and then going out and signing Robert Suarez to a $45 million deal. However, the Braves got bad news on Christmas Eve regarding one of their top reliever targets in Pete Fairbanks.
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Pete Fairbanks Signs $13.5 Million Deal with the Miami Marlins
Pete Fairbanks will be staying in the state of Florida, as it was announced on Wednesday that the dominant right-handed reliever and the Miami Marlins are in agreement on a one-year, $13.5 million deal.
Fairbanks had spent seven seasons with the Marlins, but after they declined his $11 million option, he became a free agent.
This is bad news for the Braves in two ways. First, Fairbanks was considered to be one of the team’s top free agent targets. Early reports suggested that the Braves were interested from the very start of MLB free agency, but that interest may have waned slightly after Atlanta signed Suarez.
GettyFree agent reliever Pete Fairbanks is being linked to several teams.
The second reason it’s bad news for the Braves is that Pete Fairbanks landed within the NL East. The Marlins finished three games better than the Braves in 2025, and now they add a dominant right-handed reliever in Fairbanks, who is surely going to be Miami’s closer. He posted a 2.83 ERA over 60.1 innings last season with 27 saves. Fairbanks has recorded 20+ saves in three straight seasons.
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Braves Need to Continue to be Aggressive This Offseason
The biggest takeaway from this Pete Fairbanks news is that Atlanta needs to continue being aggressive during MLB’s hot stove seasons.
With other NL East foes, like the Marlins, starting to become active, the Braves must keep their foot on the gas in pursuit of top free agents.
The Mets are also certainly not done making additions this offseason, either.
Although the Braves have made necessary additions to help fill some of their big holes, like signing outfielder Mike Yastrzemski for depth, it could start to be overshadowed if Atlanta doesn’t add an impact starter and another capable bat.
However, there is still a lot of time to go this offseason for the Braves to make an impact move. And if the Braves don’t like any of the free agent options, they could look to the trade market to make a splash.
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