Braves could still add another starting pitcher
NORTH PORT, Fla. - The Braves’ injury woes of 2024 and 2025 have already spilled into 2026.
Spencer Schwellenbach, one of the sport’s ascending young starters, went on the 60-day injured list Tuesday because of right elbow inflammation. Schwellenbach was returning from his injury-shortened 2025 campaign but instead will miss at least the season’s first two months.
All eyes were already on the Braves potentially adding another starting pitcher. The need becomes more urgent with Schwellenbach shelved.
“I know (president of baseball operations) Alex (Anthopoulos) has already been (exploring adding a starter),” Braves manager Walt Weiss said. “I don’t think he ever stops. There’s no doubt in my mind that Alex is on the phone, doing whatever he can. Whether anything comes of it, I don’t know. But I know Alex is relentless in his pursuit of improving the roster.”
Injuries were the story of the Braves’ 76-win season a year ago as their three ace-level starters — Chris Sale, Spencer Strider and Schwellenbach — all missed time. So too did Reynaldo Lopez and Grant Holmes, who reported to North Port, Florida, this week with their own health questions. Lopez appears set to rejoin the rotation, while a healthy Holmes could be in the rotation or bullpen.
It obviously behooves the team to build both up as starting pitchers over the next six weeks instead of attempting to do so later this year. But betting on both as every-fifth-day starters seems risky for a team with division-winning aspirations. The Braves will need every bit of their depth either way, and they’re now down an important element in a rotation that already featured a lot of health questions.
How will Strider look after a healthy offseason and the necessary adjustments? Can Sale, who turns 37 next month, stay on the mound and continue producing at a Cy Young-caliber level? How will Lopez fare after making just one start in 2025? Can the team afford to bet on Holmes as a starter?
And, importantly, who else will comprise this rotation?
The Braves have Bryce Elder, who’s notably out of options (meaning the Braves could lose him to another club if he doesn’t make their initial roster). It makes sense to carry him either as a back-end starter or in the bullpen, where he could cover bulk innings (a role Holmes could likewise satisfy). Joey Wentz, who was a pleasant surprise for a stretch last season, is also out of options and could work as a starter or reliever.
Hurston Waldrep was the best individual story down the stretch of last season. But he has options remaining, which means baseball’s mechanics put him at a disadvantage. The Braves will need to keep as much pitching depth as they can. Letting an Elder or Wentz go in favor of carrying Waldrep, who will inevitably contribute in the majors soon enough, could be regrettable. So it’s reasonable to believe Waldrep will begin the season in Triple-A.
Younger pitchers like JR Ritchie could eventually appear, but they won’t be on the opening day roster. The Braves need more of a proven commodity.
A pitcher akin to Charlie Morton, the beloved former Braves veteran whose reliability always stabilized the rotation, would benefit the team greatly. That’s why the Braves are so commonly connected with so many available starting pitchers.
Anthopoulos said throughout the winter the team hoped to bolster its rotation. The Braves entertained adding one of the top-tier pitchers, like Ranger Suarez, but that never came to fruition. The team spent on its bullpen, retaining Raisel Iglesias and acquiring Robert Suarez, but it never made the long-awaited commitment to a starter.
Its only starting-pitching addition thus far is veteran Martín Pérez as a nonroster invitee. Pérez, 34, could help in a pinch, but the team needs a more consistent innings eater.
Right-hander Chris Bassitt, still a free agent, is a popular pick among fans and analysts. He’d perfectly address the need: Bassitt, soon to be 37, pitched 170⅓ innings for the Blue Jays last season and has covered at least 170 frames in four straight years.
Plenty of other clubs will surely eye Bassitt, and there are other options. The Braves have been linked to Lucas Giolito, who had a 3.41 ERA in 145 innings for Boston last year. Free agent Zack Littell had a 3.81 ERA over 32 starts (186⅔ innings) for the Rays and Reds in 2025.
Future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer is seeking a job, but he has a checkered recent injury history. Justin Verlander and Nick Martinez, who might’ve fit, just signed with the Tigers and Rays, respectively. Zac Gallen is the highest-upside starter available, but he’d cost a draft pick (because he rejected the qualifying offer).
Other free-agent veterans include Nestor Cortes and Tyler Anderson, along with bounce-back hopefuls like Walker Buehler and Jordan Montgomery. So while there are a lot of “names” out there, it’s slim pickings to find those who could legitimately beef up the rotation beyond the internal candidates.
But it’s a need because Schwellenbach won’t be the last Braves starter to get injured. And the team must be equipped to handle these circumstances better than in recent seasons, even if those featured an inordinate number of ailments. The case for adding another starter is easy; finding the right investment isn’t so clear cut.
Perhaps an answer comes soon. The remaining starters are beginning to sign because they’re trying to get into camps as quickly as possible to have normal routines. Maybe the Braves will be among the many clubs adding a new pitcher in recent days.
About the Author
Gabriel Burns is a general assignment reporter and features writer for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. After four years on the Braves beat, he's expanded his horizons and covers all sports. You'll find him writing about MLB, NFL, NBA, college football and other Atlanta-centric happenings.
