The Braves have a few holes to fill, and contrary to popular belief, money isn’t endless in Atlanta. They already have a ton of money committed to the 2023 team, and with one more major signing, they will be approaching the luxury tax — a place they’ve never been close to before. I’ve stated for months now that the money the Braves do have will be used to sign a shortstop. It’s the most important position on the diamond, and while everyone would love to have Carlos Rodon or Jacob deGrom, the rotation is far from the Braves’ most glaring need.
Spencer Strider, Max Fried, Kyle Wright, and Charlie Morton is an elite group of starting pitchers. There aren’t many teams in the league that can match that, and the Braves have a bevy of options to choose from when it comes to their final spot in the rotation, which Alex Anthopoulos brought up last night.
The fifth-starter spot, Alex Anthopoulos said, will be an open competition.
Ian Anderson, Mike Soroka, Kyle Muller, Kolby Allard and Bryce Elder will be in the mix for the job.
— Justin Toscano (@JustinCToscano) November 10, 2022
Given the Braves needs, payroll situation, and these comments — I find it difficult to believe they will be seriously targeting any frontline starters during this free agency period. However, Anthopoulos won’t completely rule it out.
Given ATL's SP depth, would Alex Anthopoulos rule out pursuing high-end starting pitching?
“You don't rule anything out,” he said. “To me, you don't go into the offseason saying you have to address X. Because you may not find the right deal, whether that's trade or signing."
— Justin Toscano (@JustinCToscano) November 10, 2022
In my opinion, this is nothing more than coach speak from Anthopoulos. He’s never going to divulge what the Braves are thinking in free agency, and I’m sure he will have conversations with all of the top pitchers, but the reality is Atlanta isn’t legitimate suitors for any of these guys unless they are willing to roll into next season with a much worse shortstop than Dansby Swanson. Which I believe would be a grave mistake.
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Photo: Bob Kupbens/Icon Sportswire
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