Who can the Braves get to fill out their rotation?

The Atlanta Braves had a year full of injuries in 2024. From losing ace Spencer Strider in April to Ronald Acuña Jr in May to Chris Sale for the playoffs, it was a disappointing campaign. And then free agency hit and they lost two key pitchers. Max Fried is on the New York Yankees and Charlie Morton signed with the Baltimore Orioles. Who should the Braves sign in free agency to replace them?

Even with those two solid starters gone, the Braves have solid pitchers in their rotation. Chris Sale will be 36 years old next season but just won his first Cy Young Award. If his career resurgence continues next season, they should be in great shape. Strider won’t make it back for opening day but should be back shortly after that. With those two at the top, Atlanta only needs depth additions to their rotation.

So who should the Braves sign in free agency to fill out their rotation? Let’s find out here.

Jack Flaherty heads east to join the Braves

Jack Flaherty is a free agent for the second consecutive season and still does not have a contract. After a brutal 2023 second half with the Orioles, he signed a one-year deal with the Tigers. He was spectacular with Detroit until he was traded at the deadline to his hometown Los Angeles Dodgers. They signed Blake Snell, so he won’t be going back there so the Braves should pounce on the opportunity.

The last two seasons have been up-and-down for Flaherty but it ended with a few solid playoff starts for the Dodgers. That should be enough for the Braves to trust him as their third starter at a reasonable price. Stability would help his game grow and the coaching in Atlanta has turned good pitchers into great ones many times.

The Athletic projects Flaherty’s contract at four years, $92 million. That was before anyone was signed this offseason, so that could be higher than the reality when the deal is finished. If the Braves sign him for a deal in that area, do not be surprised at all.

Braves make a big splash with Roki Sasaki

There is still one big-name pitching free agent available and he has never thrown an inning in Major League Baseball. Roki Sasaki is the latest star to come over from Japan and can sign with any MLB team. He is not eligible for a massive contract like Yoshinobu Yamamoto got because of his service time. That leaves the Braves open as an option.

Sasaki may want to go to a bigger market or a place where he can be the ace but if he wants to assimilate to the majors slowly, the Braves are the best option. He would be their third starter and could get some of the best coaching in the league. While there will be plenty of suitors for Sasaki, the Braves would be a great fit.

Chris Flexen escapes the White Sox 

The rest of the Braves’ options would be depth adds, who may not even fit in as the number three starter. The first is Chris Flexen, who made 30 starts for the 2024 Chicago White Sox. He went 3-15 for the worst team in baseball history and is not a candidate for a long-term contract. He should sign a one-year deal with the Braves to revive his value this offseason.

Adding Flexen creates competition with Reynaldo Lopez for the third rung on the ladder. Lopez is the player the Braves should use as an example to convince Flexen to sign. He had a 6.0 bWAR in seven seasons with the White Sox and had a 5.1 bWAR just last season with Atlanta. His career changed by signing with Atlanta and Flexen’s could too.

A career resurgence for Domingo German

Domingo German has run into personal walls that have impacted his professional career. A domestic violence suspension and a stint in rehab ended his time with the Yankees. He popped up with the Pittsburgh Pirates last year for seven appearances and was not strong. But with plenty of time between him and injuries that also hampered him should lead to better performances.

The Braves would give him a one-year deal worth very little for him to prove he can be a major league pitcher. German has thrown a perfect game and had plenty of bright moments for the Yankees. But his dark moments outweigh the good ones in fans’ brains. This would be a risky hire but one that could pay off for the Braves this season.