The Atlanta Braves need to make some upgrades to their roster at the end of the season. Injuries have derailed their season this year, but the front office could use free agency to build the roster back up in a few months.
The Braves have a few holes to fill on the roster, but for the most part, there are players under contract across the depth chart. However, the Braves are going to need to add a pitcher this winter.
FanSided’s Christopher Kline recently urged the Braves to pursue Houston Astros pitcher Framber Valdez in free agency next offseason, but it might not be a realistic fit.
“He isn’t an elite swing-and-miss pitcher — 129 K’s in 128.0 innings — but Valdez can get strikeouts while also pitching extremely well to contact,” Kline wrote. “His groundball rate sits in the 98th percentile thanks to a dynamic sinker-curveball combo. He can still dial up the velocity into the mid-90s, and he has three knockout pitches under his belt when factoring in his evasive changeup.
“Valdez is probably the best free agent pitcher on the market this coming winter, so the Braves paying up feels… unlikely. If his contract demands start ballooning into Max Fried territory, Atlanta will politely excuse itself. That said, the Braves are in a dire spot, and the best way out might just be breaking with tradition and spending big in free agency. Valdez is worth a call.”
With Valdez entering free agency, the Braves are going to need to be very aggressive to land him. The lefty is set to be one of the best, if not the best, pitchers on the market.
The Braves have fought a lot of injuries with their pitching staff this season, so they could look to land a consistent star to help anchor the rotation. The issue with this idea is the money. Valdez will likely garner a huge contract, and it seems unlikely the Braves will be willing to pay it.
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