Braves Called 'Best Fit' For World Series Champion Starting Pitcher

There continues to be smoke around the Atlanta Braves and starting pitcher Jack Flaherty.

On Jan. 19, MLB.com's Thomas Harrigan called the Braves the "best fit" for Flaherty this offseason.

"For a team with championship aspirations, the Braves’ rotation has a ton of question marks following the free-agent departures of Max Fried and Charlie Morton," Harrigan wrote. "If reigning NL Cy Young Award winnerChris Sale and 2024 All-Star Reynaldo López can replicate last year’s surprising success,Spencer Schwellenbach can build on his strong rookie season and Spencer Strider can make a healthy return from right elbow surgery at some point in the first half, Atlanta could have one of the best starting staffs in the game.

"But those are some big ifs.

"Signing the best starter remaining on the free-agent market would allay those concerns and quell some of the criticism surrounding Atlanta’s quiet offseason, during which the team has subtracted a number of notable players while only adding outfielder Bryan De La Cruz. The Braves don’t typically pursue expensive free-agent starters, but Flaherty’s reported willingness to consider a short-term deal with a high average annual value could make him a financial fit for Atlanta."

The Braves cut quite a bit of salary this offseason with moves such as the Jorge Soler trade, declining catcher Travis d'Arnaud's option and signing pitchers Reynaldo López and Aaron Bummer to extensions that include a greater percentage of their salaries paid in 2026 and 2027.

The Athletic's David O'Brien argued in November that those moves were giving the Braves additional financial flexibility for this upcoming season. But the organization has yet to do anything with that flexibility.

Using that financial flexibility on Flaherty would make a ton of sense. The Braves have more than 320 innings to replace with the departures of Max Fried and Charlie Morton.

Spencer Schwellenbach and the healthy return of Spencer Strider can begin to fill those frames, but it will be impossible for them to entirely make up for the loss of Fried and Morton.

Flaherty to the Braves has been a very popular offseason rumor. Bleacher Report's Tim Kelly linked the Braves to Flaherty shortly after the World Series ended. On Jan. 16, Kelly again mentioned the Braves as a potential suitor for Flaherty.

In earlier January, The Athletic's Jim Bowden predicted Flaherty to land with the Braves. Furthermore, former Atlanta catcher A.J. Pierzynski projected on an episode of Foul Territory that the Braves will sign Flaherty.

Flaherty posted a 13-7 record with a 3.17 ERA in 28 starts with the Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Dodgers during the 2024 season. He also had a 1.068 WHIP and 194 strikeouts in 162 innings.

He started Games 1 and 5 for the Dodgers during the World Series. He pitched well in Game 1, but as was also the case in the National League Championship Series, Flaherty wasn't nearly as effective during his second World Series start.

Flaherty has medical concerns, which is likely why he hasn't landed a long-term deal yet. But if he's willing to accept a shorter deal, the Braves should be very interested because of the immediate need they have in the rotation.