Latest on the Braves pursuit of another starting pitcher

We’ve reached the point in the MLB offseason where things are moving painfully slow, but one significant domino did fall over the holiday break with Japanese starting pitcher Tatsuya Imai inking a deal with the Houston Astros.

Leading up to the signing, there were some rumblings from various outlets that the Braves were among the teams interested, but considering Imai opted for a deal with opt-outs after every season, that was always going to be a non-starter for Alex Anthopoulos, who almost never considers players with player options.

With Imai off the market, the focus now shifts to guys like Framber Valdez and Ranger Suárez, two starting pitchers that would significantly boost any rotation and give the Braves the playoff-caliber arm Anthopoulos has insisted he is trying to add. According to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com, Atlanta has at least checked in on Valdez, who has the most postseason experience of any free-agent starter.

“The Braves and Giants are among the other teams that have been connected to Valdez, who rejected a qualifying offer and will cost his new team Draft picks,” Feinsand reports.

The loss of draft capital aspect is important to remember. In the past, the Braves have been hesitant when it comes to signing players who have rejected qualifying offers because they place such a heavy emphasis on the importance of their top draft selections. However, this year could be a little different, considering they netted an extra first-round pick thanks to Drake Baldwin winning the Rookie of the Year award.

Both Valdez and Suárez rejected qualifying offers earlier this offseason, along with Zac Gallen. If the Braves whiff on all three, it may signal they are comfortable going into the 2026 season with their current group, hoping for bounce-back campaigns from guys like Reynaldo López and Spencer Strider.