The Braves’ offseason wish list starts where it usually should: the rotation. The free-agent pool is thin at shortstop and in the outfield, but starting pitching is a different story. There are plenty of names out there, and plenty of trade possibilities too, which gives Atlanta a real chance to shop for impact arms this winter.
Seattle is one of the first places to look. The Mariners were mentioned at the trade deadline as a team that might be willing to move starting pitching in order to add offense, and that possibility should only grow after their disappointing finish to the 2026 campaign.
Kade Anderson probably isn’t going anywhere, but George Kirby, Emerson Hancock, Bryce Miller and Bryan Woo all sound like they could be available. Any of them would help the Braves, though the match is complicated.
Atlanta may not want to part with major-league talent unless Seattle has interest in Sean Murphy, Ozzie Albies or Austin Riley, and two contenders trying to deal with each other is never simple.
Jacob deGrom is another name to watch, and the Braves already know how this one went once. Atlanta and Texas had a deal lined up at the trade deadline, but deGrom used his no-trade clause and stayed put, saying he signed his contract for a reason and wants to bring a championship to the Rangers.
That may still be his position, but it would not be a shock if he simply wanted to wait until the offseason before deciding what else is out there. He’ll be 39 next season and is owed $37 million in 2027, and his 4.20 ERA doesn’t jump off the page.
Still, the underlying numbers tell a different story: a 3.11 FIP and 11.1 strikeouts per nine suggest there’s still plenty left.
MacKenzie Gore is a different kind of bet, but an appealing one all the same. He was a hot trade name a year ago before eventually landing with the Rangers, yet the breakout never arrived.
Instead, he finished 2026 with a career-worst 4.58 ERA over 34 starts. If Texas decides to lean into a rebuild, Gore could be on the move again, especially with one year left on his contract.
At an estimated $8-10 million in arbitration, he doesn’t need to be an ace to justify the price, and the upside is still enough to bring back a solid prospect package. There’s also the possibility of him working with Braves pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, who was a strong addition to Walt Weiss’ staff in year one.
Reid Detmers would draw plenty of attention too. He was one of the biggest names circulating at this year’s deadline, but the Angels held off.
That could change this winter as Los Angeles settles into a longer rebuild. Detmers will be 27 next season, has multiple years of team control, and just turned in the best year of his career with a 3.36 ERA over 32 starts.
The stuff is elite, the age is right, and the market should be crowded if the Angels finally decide to deal him.
Then there’s Drew Rasmussen, who may be the best arm of the bunch if Tampa Bay ever decides to actually move him. When he’s healthy, he’s one of the most consistently dominant pitchers in baseball, and the last two seasons have backed that up with a 2.71 ERA over 61 starts.
The Rays would prefer to keep him, but that’s the familiar script. Tampa Bay will almost certainly pick up his $20 million club option for next year, yet he’ll be 31 next season and carries a notable injury history.
A huge long-term deal seems unlikely, which is why Rasmussen stands out as the single best pitcher who could get traded this offseason.
In Other News...
Chris Sale Just Gave Braves Fans A New Reason To Celebrate
Chris Sales first season in Atlanta has already given the Braves plenty to feel good about, and now it has put him in line for one of the games top individual honors. The left-hander was dominant from start to finish, working to a 2.16 ERA while piling up 200 strikeouts over 162.2 innings, production that helped stabilize the rotation and justify the one-year contract extension he signed with the club.
The award race only adds to the sense that the Braves got exactly what they hoped for when they brought Sale in. His season put him among the National Leagues elite pitchers, and Atlanta also has another familiar face in the mix for postseason recognition, with Walt Weiss drawing consideration for manager of the year. For a team that spent the year chasing bigger goals, the hardware conversation is now part of the payoff. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Could Be Headed For More Hardware In November
The Braves are in line for more recognition this fall after two of the biggest names attached to the club landed among the National Leagues award finalists. Chris Sale is up for the Cy Young Award following a strong season in Atlanta, while Walt Weiss is in the mix for Manager of the Year after steering the Braves back to the top of the NL East.
Sale gave Atlanta the kind of front-line production it needed all year, and Weiss helped turn that into a division title and a much bigger win total than the club had a season ago. The winners will be announced in November, leaving the Braves with a chance to add some individual hardware to what was already a successful year. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Face A Tough Trevor Megill Decision This Winter
With Raisel Iglesias heading into free agency after helping push Atlanta to the NLDS, the Braves are already looking ahead to how they might steady the back end of the bullpen. One name that keeps surfacing is Trevor Megill, the Brewers closer who has emerged as a possible trade target for a club that needs late-inning certainty and has a track record of being willing to shop from its pitching depth when the fit makes sense.
Megills appeal is obvious: he has the kind of stuff and role that can change a bullpens shape quickly, but Milwaukee also has to weigh the value of keeping him against the possibility of moving him while his market remains strong. For Atlanta, the question is whether the cost in young pitching is worth it, especially with the Braves trying to balance immediate help against the long view of a roster that still has plenty of moving parts this winter. [Read more 🡒]