Atlanta Braves named the top landing destination for great pitcher

Due to a slew of injuries, the Atlanta Braves suddenly appear to be big players heading into the 2024 MLB trade deadline.

To replace Ronald Acuña Jr., who is out for the season due to a ruptured ACL, an outfield upgrade is expected. That’s how Alex Anthopoulos handled it the last time it happened, and there’s no reason he won’t do it again this year. However, as I’ve already shown, there are multiple approaches to solving a problem.

Every position on the squad can be improved, including positions of strength, which Anthopoulos has already demonstrated his willingness to accomplish. According to Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report, the Braves are the preferred choice for Marlins lefty Jesús Luzardo due to their strong pitching staff and potential for improvement at shortstop.

The emergence of Reynaldo López in the Atlanta Braves rotation has been somewhat nullified by the fact that ace Spencer Strider is out for the season following elbow surgery, leaving the No. 5 starter spot as a major question mark.

Prospect Spencer Schwellenbach made his MLB debut on Wednesday, following in the footsteps of Bryce Elder, Darius Vines, Allan Winans, AJ Smith-Shawver and Ray Kerr in taking his turn to try to bring stability to the back of the Atlanta staff.

Elder, an All-Star in 2023, has a 6.46 ERA in 23.2 innings over five starts and he is currently trying to sort things out at the Triple-A level.

The top of the Braves rotation has been terrific, but the revolving door in the fifth spot has shined a light on the unproven nature of their depth, and Luzardo would shore up one of the few glaring holes on the roster.

I support the Atlanta Braves signing Jesús Luzardo for a variety of reasons, but not for the ones Reuter mentioned. The fifth slot in the rotation isn’t really significant, and it’ll be irrelevant come the postseason. In October, the Braves will need no more than four starters.

Aside from that, I’m quite excited about Spencer Schwellenbach, and we have yet to meet Hurston Waldrep. AJ Smith-Shawver will also return in a few months, and don’t forget about Ian Anderson, who is set to return at the same time. Still, Alex Anthopoulos should seriously consider adding extra arms.

For starters, health is never guaranteed, as we’ve experienced personally this season. If any of Chris Sale, Max Fried, or Reynaldo Lopez were to go down, the Braves would be in big danger. This is a team that is currently heavily reliant on its pitching, and it will need to remain so if the Braves are to be successful in October.

There is also no knowing how Lopez will perform throughout the season, as this is his first year as a starter since 2019, while Luzardo has the potential to be a top-three starting for the Braves. Even if he gets out to a terrible start in 2024, his stuff is among the finest in MLB.

Finally, and maybe most significantly, Alex Anthopoulos needs to plan beyond this year. Max Fried is about to become a free agent. Most expect Charlie Morton to retire, while Spencer Strider is coming from a torn UCL. In 2025 and beyond, the Atlanta Braves rotation will be more ambiguous than definitive. Jesús Luzardo, who is under team control until 2026, might alleviate many of these issues.