Are the Atlanta Braves in the weeds, waiting to make a move in free agency?
So far, Bryan De La Cruz, a peripheral outfielder recently non-tendered by the Pittsburgh Pirates, has been the Braves’ most significant free agent signing this winter. However, they do have spending power if they ever decide to use it.
The Braves have a dominant top four in their rotation heading into the 2025 season, with Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenbach, and Reynaldo López expected to be joined early in the year by a healthy Spencer Strider.
It’s an excellent foundation for developing a title challenger. However, if the Braves sign another top pitcher in free agency, they may have a chance to win another National League title.
In a recent Instagram video, content creator Steven Russell forecasted that the Braves will sign Los Angeles Dodgers World Series starter Jack Flaherty, giving Atlanta a projected rotation of five pitchers with All-Star talent.
“I still like Jack Flaherty to the Braves,” Russell remarked bluntly.
In 2024, Flaherty had a 3.17 ERA and 194 strikeouts in 162 innings divided between the Dodgers and Detroit Tigers. He has always had a high strikeout rate, and despite never making an All-Star squad, he finished fourth in the Cy Young voting.
According to The Athletic, Flaherty is expected to sign a four-year, $92 million contract that will cover his age-32 season. The Braves aren’t known for giving long-term contracts to starting pitchers, but this forecast may be within their comfort zone for a relatively young free agency.
At the very least, it’s worth looking into Flaherty’s demands when the rest of the starting pitching dominoes fall. He has the potential to be the next Braves star, and with four other standouts in place, Atlanta might have the most formidable rotation in the league.
