Alex Anthopoulos may have a familiar name sitting right in the sweet spot of Atlanta’s winter plans, and Kevin Gausman fits the bill as well as anyone.
The former Braves right-hander is headed back into free agency as one of the most established starters available, and Atlanta’s rotation needs make a reunion look awfully sensible. The catch is price, as always. Gausman’s resume is strong, but this is not the kind of pitcher set to trigger a bidding war that pushes him out of the Braves’ range.
That’s where his second half in 2026 matters. Gausman was dealt at the deadline in August, and his time with the Cubs never really caught fire.
In nine starts with Chicago, he finished with a 4.83 ERA and a 4.33 FIP. The Cubs were hoping he’d anchor a postseason push; instead, they faded late and were quickly knocked out by San Diego.
There are still reasons to believe the arm is plenty usable. Gausman will pitch in 2027 at 36 years old, and it will be his 15th major league season.
His four-seam fastball averaged below 94 mph for the first time since 2019, but he still managed to rank in the 66th percentile in strikeout rate. That matters, because he’s not surviving on smoke and mirrors alone.
Atlanta figures to shop for more than one rotation piece this winter, even if the offense gets most of the attention. The Braves are not getting involved in the Tarik Skubal race, but names like Gausman, Sonny Gray, and Nick Martinez could make sense for Anthopoulos.
The connection here is obvious. Anthopoulos already pursued Gausman once, and this offseason gives him another shot.
The Braves have spent too many recent stretches searching for starts, and Gausman’s durability stands out in a way Atlanta’s rotation has not. He has made at least 31 starts in each season since 2021, and that kind of reliability is exactly what this staff has been missing.
If Gausman’s late-season dip scares enough teams off, Atlanta could be the one waiting to benefit. The veteran right-hander may no longer look like a headline-grabbing prize, but he still has enough in the tank to help the Braves in 2027.
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