The Atlanta Braves sorely need to find new starting pitchers for the 2025 season.
Spencer Strider, the team’s ace, is still recovering from significant elbow surgery. Both Charlie Morton and Max Fried left in free agency. Atlanta must find a new pitcher immediately.
Zachary Rymer of Bleacher Report recently projected that the Braves would become desperate and make a blockbuster trade for Minnesota Twins pitcher Pablo López this winter. López has three years left on his four-year, $73.5 million contract.
Here’s the deal pitched by Rymer to send López to the Braves for a huge haul in return:
- Atlanta Braves receive: RHP Pablo López, C Christian Vázquez
- Minnesota Twins receive: C Drake Baldwin (No. 5 prospect), RHP Hurston Waldrep (No. 3 prospect), RHP JR Ritchie (No. 7 prospect)
“The Braves have not been linked to López, but it’s about time they recruited a starter. “With Morton in Baltimore and Max Fried in New York, Atlanta’s rotation has seen two significant departures,” Rymer said. “The only thing to look forward to is Spencer Strider’s recovery from his second major elbow surgery in five years.” López has been an above-average starter for the past three seasons. Despite dropping to a 4.08 ERA in 2024, he maintained a 4.8 strikeout-to-walk ratio with the help of one of the league’s top four-seamers.”
To me, this seems like a major overpayment for López. The Braves would give up two of their most valued pitching prospects and their top catching prospect in exchange for a competent, but not outstanding, starting pitcher.
