At this time, it’s unclear what the Atlanta Braves will do with the fifth spot in their rotation.
When Spencer Strider returns early in the season, he will join Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenbach, and Reynaldo López as rotation locks. However, with the departure of Max Fried to the New York Yankees, it is unclear how the remaining place would be filled.
The Braves might look internally, but the choices include several pitchers who spent last year in Triple-A. The alternatives are trades and free agency, and the Braves have been rather silent on both fronts this winter.
As of now, Jack Flaherty, previously of the Los Angeles Dodgers, is the biggest name still on the market. However, big names frequently earn huge contracts, and the Braves’ approach to free agents has recently been different.
Instead, Erik Kratz of Foul Territory predicted earlier this week that Atlanta would sign former Boston Red Sox starter Nick Pivetta, who is frequently viewed as a surprise breakthrough prospect due to his high swing-and-miss rates.
“I feel like (the Braves aren’t) going to get Flaherty,” he added. “Atlanta is a place where (Pivetta) can go in, they don’t need to expect too much of him, but I think a lot of people are going to be surprised by what he gets in free agency.”
Pivetta, 32, has never enjoyed a full, quality season in his major league career. But he strikes out more than ten batters every nine innings, and if he can reduce his home run rate (28 allowed last season), he might become a star.
Pivetta was paid $7.5 million in his last year of arbitration last season and turned down a $21.05 million qualifying offer from Boston back in November. That means any team that signs him will forfeit their second-round pick, which is a terrible deterrent that may dissuade teams from making a move.
Pivetta will eventually find a place to call home. And, if that home is in Atlanta, the rest of the league should be concerned about what the Braves can do with him.
