Who can the Braves get to fill out their rotation?
In 2024, the Atlanta Braves suffered numerous injuries. The season was disastrous, with the loss of ace Spencer Strider in April, Ronald Acuña Jr. in May, and Chris Sale in the playoffs. Then free agency arrived, and they lost two crucial pitchers. Max Fried is with the New York Yankees, and Charlie Morton has signed with the Baltimore Orioles. Who should the Braves sign as free agents to replace them?
Despite the loss of those two excellent starters, the Braves still have a solid rotation. Chris Sale will be 36 years old next season, yet he recently earned his first Cy Young Award. If his career resurgence continues next season, they should be in excellent shape. Strider won’t be back for opening day, but he should be back soon after. With those two at the top, Atlanta merely needs depth adds to their rotation.
So who should the Braves sign in free agency to fill out their rotation? Let’s find out here.
Jack Flaherty heads east to join the Braves
Jack Flaherty is a free agent for the second straight season and has yet to sign a deal. After a miserable second half with the Orioles in 2023, he signed a one-year contract with the Tigers. He was outstanding with the Detroit Tigers before being moved to his hometown Los Angeles Dodgers at the deadline. They signed Blake Snell, therefore he will not be returning, and the Braves should take advantage of the opportunity.
Flaherty’s previous two seasons have been up and down, but he finished with a couple strong playoff starts for the Dodgers. That should be enough to convince the Braves to use him as their third starter at a reasonable price. Stability would help his game develop, and Atlanta’s coaching has often transformed decent pitchers into great ones.
The Athletic estimates Flaherty’s contract at four years and $92 million. That was before anyone was signed this offseason, so it could be more than the actual value when the agreement is completed. You should not be surprised if the Braves sign him to a deal in that vicinity.
Braves make a big splash with Roki Sasaki
There is still one big-name pitching free agent available and he has never thrown an inning in Major League Baseball. Roki Sasaki is the newest talent to come over from Japan and can sign with any MLB team. He is not eligible for a large deal like Yoshinobu Yamamoto because of his service time. This leaves the Braves as an alternative.
Sasaki may want to move to a bigger market or a location where he can be the ace but if he wants to integrate to the majors slowly, the Braves are the best option. He’d be their third starter and could receive some of the best coaching in the league. While there will be many suitors for Sasaki, the Braves would be an excellent fit.
Chris Flexen escapes the White Sox
The rest of the Braves’ options would be depth adds, who may not even fit in as the number three starter. The first is Chris Flexen, who made 30 starts for the 2024 Chicago White Sox. He went 3-15 for the worst team in baseball history and is not a candidate for a long-term contract. He should sign a one-year deal with the Braves to revive his value this offseason.
Flexen’s addition puts him in competition with Reynaldo Lopez for the third rung of the ladder. Lopez is the player the Braves should use as an example to persuade Flexen to sign. He had a 6.0 bWAR in seven seasons with the White Sox and had a 5.1 bWAR just last season with Atlanta. His career transformed by signing with Atlanta and Flexen’s could too.
A career resurgence for Domingo German
Domingo German has encountered personal roadblocks that have hampered his professional success. His career with the Yankees came to an end after he was suspended for domestic abuse and spent time in rehab. Last year, he made seven appearances for the Pittsburgh Pirates and was not particularly strong. However, with plenty of time between him and injuries that have limited him, his performance could improve.
The Braves would give him a one-year contract worth relatively little to demonstrate his ability to pitch in the major leagues. German has tossed a perfect game and provided plenty of highlights for the Yankees. However, his terrible moments outweigh the good in the minds of his supporters. This would be a risky signing, but it could pay off for the Braves this season.
