Before the offseason began, the Braves rotation didn’t seem like a pressing need, but due to several developments, that’s no longer the case.
First and foremost, the potential departures of Charlie Morton and Max Fried need to be addressed. Then, Alex Anthopoulos revealed Spencer Strider won’t be ready for Opening Day. His timeline isn’t known, so there’s a chance he misses significant time in 2025.
Let’s all call a spade a spade. Chris Sale was healthy for pretty much all of 2024, but injuries have plagued him in the past. Reynaldo Lopez battled fatigue issues, and Spencer Schwellenbach still hasn’t thrown a full season worth of innings. The rotation has all of the sudden shot up Anthopoulos’ to-do list this offseason.
AA’s M.O. is to usally zig whenever everyone else zags. Whether it’s a trade or a high-upside free agent signing, Atlanta’s GM is always playing chess while others play checkers. And his next target could be in the desert. According to The Athletic, the Diamondbacks could be looking to trade one of their starting pitchers.
“The Arizona Diamondbacks emerged as a team receiving significant interest from clubs looking for starters, league sources said at this week’s general managers’ meetings,” Will Sammon and Patrick Mooney write.
Zac Gallen, Jordan Montgomery, and Merrill Kelly will be free agents after the 2025 season, while Eduardo Rodriguez, Brandon Pfaadt and Ryne Nelson have multiple years of control.
Gallen is the best of the bunch, one of the best arms in the game and is projected to earn north of $14 million through arbitration. Montgomery is coming off a dreadful year, but perhaps Arizona would eat some of his salary in a potential trade.
Depending on your cup of tea, a Braves trade could come to fruition with the Diamondbacks, but I’d say Montgomery is the most likely candidate. Until last season, he’d been one of the most consistent starting pitchers in baseball. That’s a buy-low candidate if I’ve ever seen one, which usually attracts Alex Anthopoulos. The contract, track record, and high-upside seems to fit the Braves M.O.
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Photo: Kevin Abele/Icon Sportswire
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