Will the Braves Sign a Starter Pitcher This Winter?

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00:00Will the Braves sign a starter pitcher this winter?

00:03The Atlanta Braves somehow, in 2025, still managed to win a few games with a rotation shredded like a tax form in an audit.

00:12They used 71 players, 46 were pitchers, and 2 were position players, and the bullpen phone felt like,

00:18Hey, you throw in high school? You're up!

00:21The Braves endured one of the worst pitching injury crises in years.

00:25All five opening day starters landed on the 60-day IL.

00:28With President of Baseball Operations Alex Anthopoulos calling the rotation a front-burner issue,

00:34the team faces major pressure to rebuild.

00:37But given Anthopoulos' frugal track record, his biggest free agent deal being Ronaldo Lopez's three-year, $30 million contract,

00:45fans shouldn't expect a big signing like Dylan Cease or Zach Gallin.

00:50He's known for value deals over blockbuster spending.

00:53Names like Dylan Cease and Zach Gallin will dominate Braves' discussions this winter.

00:57Cease, despite a 4.55 ERA, still throws 97 miles per hour with elite strikeout numbers and strong underlying metrics,

01:06making him a smart short-term gamble, ideal for a one-year pillow deal around $22-25 million.

01:13Gallin, meanwhile, saw declines in velocity and performance.

01:17While the Braves have offered big contracts before, $162 million to Aaron Nola and $140 million to Freddie Freeman,

01:26none have signed, leaving open whether Alex Anthopoulos will finally make a splash this offseason.

01:33It's a weak market for velocity currently.

01:35Ranger Suarez sits at 90.5, Chris Bassett at 91.5, Shane Bieber at 92.6, and Brandon Woodruff is at 93 even.

01:44Frambois Valdez might be the best velocity-to-consistency combo, sitting around 94.2, and he's a lefty with some postseason clout.

01:54If velocity really is king, Cease may be the best rental in the shop.

01:58So here's the million-dollar question.

02:01Can Anthopoulos stick to his bargain strategy while plugging the Titanic-sized holes in this rotation?

02:06Because if the Braves are going to compete deep into October again, they can't do it with duct tape and dreams.

02:12They need arms.

02:13Durable, fireballing, dependable arms.