An old Braves friend is taking an international route to try to get back to the major leagues, as Dan Kurtz reports the Lotte Giants of the Korea Baseball Organization announced they’ve signed Tucker Davidson.
Originally drafted in the 19th round of the 2016 MLB Draft, Davidson made his way to the top of Atlanta’s farm system, among the top 10 prospects by 2020.
In his first taste of the majors, Davidson got shelled, allowing seven hits, four walks, and two earned runs in 1.2 innings of work. Once he returned to Atlanta in 2021, he posted a 3.60 ERA, 1.150 WHIP, and 0.5 WAR across four starts with the Braves.
Eventually, Tucker Davidson was included in the deal that landed the Braves their future closer in Raisel Iglesias. The Angels were willing to move Iglesias because of his contract, which Atlanta had no problem taking on.
It’s worked out beautifully for the Braves, as Iglesias has quietly turned into one of the best closers in baseball. That’s not the case for the Angels and Tucker Davidson, though.
Davidson struggled to open 2022. And a year after the Braves trade, the Angels traded him to the Royals in exchange for cash considerations, only for the Orioles to claim him off waivers at the end of the 2023 season.
He did show signs of progress in 2024, but he’s clearly trying a different path in the KBO. In his MLB career, Davidson is 4-10 with a 5.76 ERA, a 1.604 WHIP, 6.9 strikeouts per nine innings, and a -0.8 WAR. In the minors, Davidson is 30-44 with a 3.22 ERA, a 1.298 WHIP, and 8.9 strikeouts per nine innings.
Now, he’ll try to become the next Merrill Kelly or Erick Fedde to reinvent himself in an international league.
Braves fans are understandably frustrated with the team’s lack of action so far this offseason. While other teams are throwing around cash with reckless abandon, Atlanta has yet to make a significant move. For a club with championship aspirations and notable holes to fill, it’s a discouraging start.
However, it’s worth remembering that patience is a virtue—particularly in an offseason as wild as this one. The starting pitching market, for example, has been especially extravagant. Max Fried, a cornerstone of the Braves’ success, just signed an eight-year, $218 million deal with the Yankees—the largest contract ever for a left-handed pitcher.
Fried has done everything to earn such a contract, but the reality is that mega-deals like these almost never age well. A look back at the 2021 shortstop free-agent class is a perfect illustration.
The Braves’ own Dansby Swanson was part of that class. Like with Fried this year, Alex Anthopoulos showed little interest in retaining him on a long-term deal. It was a tough decision at the time, given Swanson’s contributions to Atlanta’s success. But with the benefit of hindsight, it’s clear the Braves don’t regret letting him walk.
The Padres, on the other hand, went all in on Xander Bogaerts, handing him an 11-year, $280 million deal. Two seasons later, Bogaerts has amassed just 5.6 WAR, including a disappointing 1.2 WAR this past year. San Diego is already reportedly open to trading him, but moving a declining 32-year-old with nine years left on his deal is virtually impossible. What was once a prized acquisition is now a financial albatross.
This is how championship windows close prematurely. Building super teams rarely guarantees sustained success. In fact, it often does the opposite, hamstringing teams with bloated contracts that limit flexibility.
Alex Anthopoulos understands this. His job isn’t just to build a competitive roster every season—it’s also to ensure the Braves are set up for long-term success. For a team without the bottomless budget of some rivals, avoiding reckless spending is crucial. Signing a free agent to a massive, back-loaded contract might appease fans in the short term, but it’s often a recipe for regret in the years to come.
So, while it’s easy to feel frustrated now, Braves fans may come to appreciate Anthopoulos’ measured approach. Many of this offseason’s blockbuster deals will likely age poorly, leaving teams scrambling to clean up the financial mess before an inevitable rebuild. The Braves, meanwhile, are playing the long game—one built on sustained success rather than fleeting flashes of splendor.
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