Braves blockbuster pitching shake-up strengthens rotation with key roster moves as Opening Day approaches.

The Atlanta Braves bolstered their pitching staff on Sunday, acquiring left-hander José Suarez from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for right-hander Ian Anderson. The trade comes as the club continues to fine-tune its roster ahead of the regular season.

Suarez, 26, has spent his entire career with the Angels, posting a 5.30 ERA over parts of five seasons. While he struggled in 2023, appearing in just 15 games with a 8.29 ERA, the Braves are betting on his ability to bounce back. A change of scenery and Atlanta’s track record with pitching development could help Suarez regain the form he showed in 2022 when he posted a 3.96 ERA in 109 innings.

Anderson, meanwhile, departs after an up-and-down tenure with the Braves. A key figure in Atlanta’s 2021 World Series run, the right-hander posted a 1.59 ERA in four postseason starts that year. However, struggles in 2022 and a Tommy John surgery that wiped out his 2023 season made his future with the club uncertain. With the Braves’ pitching depth, Anderson became an expendable asset in the team’s push for more left-handed options.