Braves Acquire Left-Handed Pitching Depth in Deal with Rockies

The Atlanta Braves add another lefty to the system in a small trade with the Rockies on Wednesday

Another Rockies reliever is heading to the Braves organization | David Frerker-Imagn Images

The Atlanta Braves have pulled the trigger on a trade to obtain more pitching depth. The team announced Wednesday afternoon that they had acquired Ryan Rolison from the Colorado Rockies in exchange for cash considerations.

Rolison, 28, is coming off his first season in the Major Leagues. In 31 games, one start, he pitched to a 7.02 ERA and a 1.77 WHIP in 42 1/3 innings pitched. He was designated for assignment by the Rockies on Tuesday, and the Braves were swift in making a move for him.

The numbers aren't eye-popping, but this is a team that could use another lefty. The Braves had a righty-heavy system at the completion of the 2025 season. Even their top-30 prospects were low on lefty prospects until the most recent draft. They're making some moves to remedy this.

Josh Walker was recently claimed off waivers from the Orioles, and he's been added to the 40-man roster. Rolison hasn't, at least yet, been added as well. Either way, they achieve the goal of having more bullpen arms in the system.

General manager Alex Anthopoulos made it clear that the team will need to add a lot of relievers this offseason. The reality is that not all of them can be big signings or splash trades. Knowing how many arms the Braves churned though last season, 46 to be exact, stocking up on options early isn't unreasonable.

The Braves are still expected to make a move for an impact reliever. Names such as Edwin Diaz and Robert Suarez have come up in conversation. That doesn't guarantee that they'll land either of them, but being named suitors fits with the notion that they plan to spend.

The Braves aim to have a top-five payroll in MLB for the 2026 season. Along with bullpen depth, staring pitching and a shorstop are at the top of the list.