With so many injuries, the Braves are dealing with a ton of uncertainty surrounding their rotation going into 2026.

AJ Smith-Shawver is expected to miss all of next year. Grant Holmes could as well, and there’s really no way the Braves can view Reynaldo Lopez as a starting pitcher next year. He dealt with arm fatigue issues in 2024 and made just one start this season because of a shoulder injury.

That’s already three members of this year’s Opening Day rotation that shouldn’t even be considered for the rotation in 2026. Additionally, the concerns surrounding Spencer Strider have risen considerably in recent weeks, as he has failed to regain form since coming back from InternalBrace surgery.

There are really only two guys the Braves should feel comfortable about going into 2026 — Chris Sale and Spencer Schwellenbach — and even they are currently on the 60-day IL. Hurston Waldrep’s performance provides a little more optimism, but there’s no question the Braves must address the rotation in some form or fashion this winter.

Braves Projected 2026 Rotation

1. Chris Sale
2. Spencer Schwellenbach
3. Ranger Suarez
4. Spencer Strider
5. Hurston Waldrep

Potential Depth

• Joey Wentz
• Grant Holmes
• Bryce Elder
• JR Ritchie

The emergence of Hurston Waldrep erases the need for the Braves to go after multiple starting pitchers, but they should aggressively pursue a game-changer to put behind Chris Sale and Spencer Schwellenbach.

Some of the top names might be out of their price range, but Ranger Suarez is exactly the type of pitcher they should be looking for. He’s been rock solid for the Phillies since they moved him to the rotation permanently and proven to be an elite pitcher in the postseason, boasting a 1.43 ERA in October over 37.2 innings.

Of course, the Phillies aren’t going to be eager to let Suarez walk, especially to a division rival. However, he’s simply meant to be an example of the type of pitcher the Braves should be targeting this offseason. They don’t just need an innings eater; they need to bring in somebody who they would feel comfortable starting in October.

The depth of this hypothetical group is also encouraging, especially if Grant Holmes is healthy going into 2026. Wentz has experience as a reliever and can start in a pinch. Bryce Elder, while not exactly sexy, is capable of eating innings, and JR Ritchie appears to be the next of the Braves’ prospect arms that could be an impact contributor for the major-league club.

This starting staff should be more than enough to get Atlanta back to the postseason, especially if the offensive resurgence we’ve seen over the last several weeks is here to stay.