Alex Anthopoulos: Braves looking to land impact starting pitcher

The Braves have checked a lot of boxes already this offseason, and we’re still a week away from Christmas. The bullpen now features not one, but two All-Star caliber closers. Shortstop has been addressed after the club re-signed Ha-Seong Kim, and the overall depth of the roster looks miles better than it did earlier this year following the acquisitions of Mauricio Dubon and Mike Yastrzemski.

Atlanta could walk into Opening Day with what they currently have and feel pretty good about their chances of reclaiming the NL East crown. However, they didn’t commit $260 million to their active roster just to potentially win the division. Their sights are set on the ultimate prize, and there’s still one area that hasn’t been addressed.

The Braves’ starting pitching is in a decent spot with so many key pieces returning from injury, but adding one more impact arm would go a long way toward easing concerns. Alex Anthopoulos acknowledged as much in a recent interview with Dukes and Bell on 92.9 The Game.

“We’ve explored the starting rotation, adding and getting some type of starter, whether that’s trade or signing,” Anthopoulos said. “We’d like for it to be someone impactful, someone we think can start a playoff game.”

“It would be great if we could add someone that maybe slots everybody down a peg in our rotation,” Anthopoulos continued. “Haven’t closed the door on that. Still open to it if it can present itself.”

The Braves don’t have to add a frontline starter — although that would obviously be welcomed — but the bar should be acquiring a pitcher they feel confident starting in a postseason game. There’s really no reason for them to go out and add a fifth starter simply to eat innings with guys like Grant Holmes and Bryce Elder capable of filling that role, along with younger options like Hurston Waldrep and JR Ritchie.

What really makes adding another proven starter so appealing is the flexibility it would provide. It would allow the Braves to move someone like Reynaldo López to the bullpen if he experiences even a hint of fatigue or struggles over the course of the season. The same could be said for Holmes, who is returning from a UCL injury. Not only would this give Atlanta one of the most formidable rotations in baseball, but it would also help address their remaining bullpen needs organically.

Because the Braves have shown a willingness to spend in free agency throughout the first six weeks of the offseason and have already addressed most of their needs, they are now in a prime position to strike via trade. Atlanta is loaded with attractive young arms in the farm system, making the trade market something Braves fans should be monitoring very closely moving forward.