At this point, it’s anyone’s guess how the Atlanta Braves will address the fifth spot in their rotation.
When Spencer Strider returns early in the season, he’ll join Chris Sale, Spencer Schwellenbach, and Reynaldo López as rotation locks. However, with Max Fried now a member of the New York Yankees, the Braves face uncertainty about how to fill the final slot.
The team could look internally, but the available options consist largely of pitchers who spent last year in Triple-A. Alternatively, they could explore trades or free agency, though the Braves have been notably quiet on both fronts this offseason.
The most prominent free-agent option remaining is Jack Flaherty, formerly with the Los Angeles Dodgers. However, Flaherty’s market value likely commands a significant contract, and big free-agent spending hasn’t been the Braves’ approach in recent years.
Instead, Erik Kratz of Foul Territory suggested earlier this week that the Braves might target Nick Pivetta, the former Boston Red Sox starter. Pivetta is often considered a sleeper breakout candidate due to his high strikeout rates.
“I don’t think they’re going after Flaherty,” Kratz said. “Atlanta is the kind of place where Pivetta could go, and they wouldn’t need to expect too much from him. But I think people would be surprised by what he could do in that environment.”
Heading into his age-32 season, Pivetta has yet to deliver a full, standout campaign in the majors. However, with a strikeout rate of over 10 batters per nine innings, he has intriguing upside—especially if he can resolve his home run issues (he allowed 28 last year).
Pivetta earned $7.5 million in his final arbitration season and declined Boston’s $21.05 million qualifying offer in November. Any team signing him would have to forfeit a second-round draft pick, which could be deterring suitors.
Eventually, Pivetta will land somewhere. If that destination happens to be Atlanta, the rest of the league should be on alert for what the Braves might be able to unlock in him.
Leave a Reply