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Top of the rotation starter a must for Atlanta Braves

By Matthew Browning

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 15: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Houston Astros celebrates retiring the side during the sixth inning against the New York Yankees in game three of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium on October 15, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 15: Gerrit Cole #45 of the Houston Astros celebrates retiring the side during the sixth inning against the New York Yankees in game three of the American League Championship Series at Yankee Stadium on October 15, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA, GEORGIA – SEPTEMBER 19: Mike Soroka #40 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at SunTrust Park on September 19, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – SEPTEMBER 19: Mike Soroka #40 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at SunTrust Park on September 19, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

The upcoming offseason will be a fascinating one for the Atlanta Braves, as there are significant questions for the club, including the starting rotation.

It is painfully obvious what the key need for the Atlanta Braves will be this offseason and that is being able to resign Josh Donaldson.

But not too far behind is adding another top of the rotation arm (or two) to go with Mike Soroka.

Two of the three teams remaining in the postseason, the Houston Astros and the Washington Nationals, both have three frontline starting pitchers in their rotation.

As of right now, the Braves only have one, with two who COULD potentially get there in Max Fried and Mike Foltynewicz.

Highly touted prospects Ian Anderson and Kyle Wright both have had reputations in the minor leagues as having the potential to become that kind of a starting pitcher at some point

But with the roster the way it is, waiting on guys to reach their potentials is not good enough. The time is now to acquire, at the very least, one all-star-type pitcher to the pitching staff.

Luckily for the Braves, there are options in both free agency and the trade market that fit this bill.

Check-writing privileges

While there are certainly some pitchers that will price themselves out of the Braves money range, there are still two or three other free agents that could pair with Soroka at the top of the rotation.

From a trade standpoint, there will always be star players available and this offseason appears to be no different.

Obviously the key is being able to reach an agreement and the Braves current front office has shown they will not back down from what they think where a player is valued.

There comes a time to push all your chips to the table and with a team coming off a 97-win season and a current core of young stars, that time is absolutely now.

Let’s first take a look at the upcoming crop of free agent pitchers.

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