Braves' starting rotation outlook heading into 2026 season

There’s no sugarcoating it; the Atlanta Braves experienced some devastating injuries to the starting rotation in 2025 that led to a complete dependency on any starting pitcher in MLB with a pulse.

The Braves lost their three best starting pitchers in the span of a month in July. Chris Sale had a rib injury, Spencer Schwellenbach fractured his right elbow and did not return to the rotation last season, and Grant Holmes also went down with an elbow injury.

So, with these guys healthy, who else rounds out the Braves’ projected rotation heading into next season?

The Braves might want to consider adding in free agency.

The number one priority of the Braves’ front office, besides finding a manager to replace Brian Snitker, is to add to this pitching staff. This is now two years in a row where some of the Braves’ top-level arms went down, and they have had to limp to the end of the season with half of a competent rotation.

According to the Marietta Daily Journal, Braves president of baseball operations, Alex Anthopoulos, revealed how the Braves’ rotation will be a top priority during the winter season.

Reynaldo Lopez is another option that may get meaningful starts for Atlanta, but his injuries in 2025 lingered to the point that he never pitched. The Braves won’t give up on Spencer Strider just yet, so he’s likely to receive a lot of starts. Schwellenbach and Sale should also be healthy to start the 2026 campaign.

That’s three quality options right there, but Atlanta could add to that if its front office spends a little in free agency. They don’t need to target the top arms in the market because they already have Schwellenbach and Sale, but another cost-efficient starter or two may go a long way for the Braves in the 2026 season.