This offseason, the Braves have been linked to a number of starting pitchers.
Aaron Nola was the first notable name. The club reportedly pursued the long-time Phillies starter but ultimately lost out to their division rival, who re-upped with Philadelphia, signing a seven-year contract.
The Braves reportedly turned their attention to Sonny Gray, who signed with the Cardinals. Since then, Atlanta has been linked to other starting pitchers such as Dylan Cease and Seth Lugo, but nothing has materialized.
The Braves are clearly looking to add a significant piece before the start of next season, as Alex Anthopoulos confirmed at this year’s MLB Winter Meetings.
As it stands, the Braves rotation is not in jeopardy. A top three of Max Fried, Charlie Morton, and Spencer Strider is as dangerous as any in the league. The club is also said to be considering reintroducing newly signed Reynaldo Lopez as a starter. If things go well, he could become a legitimate fourth option, joining Bryce Elder, AJ Smith-Shawver, Huascar Ynoa, and Hurston Waldrep in the rotation.
That’s a pretty good mix of top-tier talent and depth. However, the Braves’ rotation has been decimated by injuries in each of the last two seasons. If one of Max Fried, Spencer Strider, or Charlie Morton were to get hurt, they’d be back in a pickle. After what has happened in the last two postseasons, wasting valuable years in the middle of this championship window cannot be tolerated.
This offseason, the Braves must add at least one more player. It doesn’t have to be a superstar like Dylan Cease, but even a lesser-known option like Seth Lugo could be extremely useful in 2024 and beyond.
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