Could Braves reunite with this old friend this offseason?

Wright was the fifth overall pick by the Braves in the 2017 MLB Draft, making his big-league debut the following year. It took plenty of bumps along the way before he finally put it all together in 2022, leading Major League Baseball in wins and posting a 3.10 ERA over 30 starts. He even tossed a gem in the postseason that year, throwing six shutout innings against the Phillies — a performance often forgotten because it was the Braves’ only win in that series.

At just 26 years old, it looked like Atlanta had found another frontline starter to pair with Max Fried. Then came a severe shoulder injury that completely derailed his career. Wright made only seven starts in 2023 before undergoing offseason surgery, and that ultimately led to the Braves salary-dumping him to Kansas City prior to the 2024 campaign. He hasn’t appeared in a major-league game since. He did, however, pitch in eight minor-league outings this year, logging a 5.48 ERA over 23 innings.

I say it somewhat jokingly that the Braves should consider bringing him back, but it’s not as far-fetched as it sounds. It’s entirely possible Wright’s career is cooked after the shoulder injury, but this is exactly the kind of move the Braves have become known for under Alex Anthopoulos. They love to take one last look at familiar faces and see if there’s any gas left in the tank.

It might frustrate fans hoping for splashier acquisitions, but taking a flier on Kyle Wright comes with no real risk. And there’s something poetic about the idea of him returning to where it all started — the team that drafted him, developed him, and watched him help win a World Series — to see if he can recapture the magic one last time.