Starting pitching should be the Braves’ top priority this offseason, and there will be no shortage of options or avenues to explore. Free agency offers All-Stars, bounce-back candidates, proven veterans, and everything in between, while the trade market could also produce several intriguing opportunities — headlined by AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal.

Tarik Skubal

Reports suggest the Detroit Tigers and Tarik Skubal are roughly $250 million apart in contract negotiations. While things could certainly improve in those discussions, it’s also possible Detroit isn’t willing to commit the $400 million it might take to keep him long-term, even after a promising postseason run.

That’s why many around the league expect the Tigers to at least listen to offers for their ace. If that happens, every contender will perform its due diligence. However, given the Braves’ own reluctance to spend big on pitchers, it’s difficult to imagine them parting with a massive prospect haul and handing Skubal a record-setting contract.

MacKenzie Gore

It’s remarkable that the Nationals managed to fleece the Padres for Juan Soto yet still haven’t built around the talent they acquired in return. One of those pieces, MacKenzie Gore, is expected by many to be on the move this offseason. Gore hasn’t fully lived up to his immense potential, posting a 4.03 ERA over the last two seasons, but he feels like the kind of pitcher whose best baseball is still ahead of him, and with two years of team control remaining at a low cost, just about every team in the league will be calling to check on his availability.

Sandy Alcantara

Alcantara has been the subject of trade rumors for quite some time, but his value has dipped following Tommy John surgery and a rocky 2025 campaign. After missing all of last season, he returned to post a 5.36 ERA this year — though he looked far more like himself in the second half, recording a 3.33 ERA over 83.2 innings after the break. With two more years of team control and upside few pitchers can match, there will still be plenty of interest in the former Cy Young winner this offseason.

Freddy Peralta

The Brewers reached the NLCS this year, so they’d ideally like to hold on to Freddy Peralta, who finally put everything together in 2025. He racked up 5.5 WAR with a 2.70 ERA and 10.4 K/9 — numbers that would earn Cy Young consideration in most seasons. That’s not a pitcher any contender wants to move, but ahead of a contract year, Milwaukee could consider dealing him if the right offer comes along.

Sonny Gray

The Cardinals have made some questionable offseason decisions in recent years, but perhaps this is the winter they finally begin to move off some of their veteran pieces. One name to watch is Sonny Gray, who’s entering the final year of a deal worth $35 million, with a $30 million option for 2027. It’s not an ideal contract for a pitcher who’s posted a 4.07 ERA over the last two seasons, but his 3.23 FIP paints a much more encouraging picture. It likely wouldn’t take a significant prospect package to acquire him, and if the Cardinals are willing to eat a portion of his salary, they should have no trouble finding a buyer.