As the Braves drift toward October without their sharpest edge, the questions around this roster are getting louder. If Atlanta falls short in the playoffs, the offseason could force a hard reset on several familiar names - and Spencer Strider is already on the radar.
Mark Feinsand included Strider among his 11 most intriguing offseason trade candidates, and the reason is obvious: Atlanta has already explored moving him once. Feinsand reported that the Braves tried to send Strider to Texas in a contract swap for Jacob deGrom before the Trade Deadline, but deGrom used his no-trade clause to shut it down. Even so, Feinsand wrote, “it’s clear that Atlanta is open to moving its former ace,” pointing to Strider’s injury history and contract as the key reasons why.
Strider has been sidelined since mid-June with right elbow inflammation, and Feinsand noted that while a return this season is unlikely, there is “an outside chance he could be available out of the bullpen during the postseason.” His deal is a big part of the equation: he’s owed $22 million in each of the next two seasons, with a $22 million club option for 2029 and a $5 million buyout.
From the Braves’ perspective, the logic is simple. Strider hasn’t been the same pitcher for a while, and the gap between the old version and the current one is hard to ignore.
He had InternalBrace surgery in 2024 and has made just 31 starts since, posting a 4.66 ERA. The bigger concern, though, is what’s happened to his stuff.
His fastball velocity has fallen several ticks, and without that pitch at its old level, he’s no longer carrying the same kind of margin for error.
Atlanta could try to slide him into a bullpen role, at least in theory. Shorter outings might give him a better chance to stay healthy and maybe find some rhythm. But at $44 million over the next two seasons, that would be an awfully expensive reliever, especially if he’s not in line to close games.
That leaves the Braves with a familiar offseason problem: finding a team willing to buy into the idea that Strider can still get back to his previous form. If that market doesn’t exist, Atlanta may have to attach money, take a bad contract back, or simply wait it out. For now, that’s the most realistic path.
In Other News...
Braves Face One Tough October Roster Call After Latest Injuries
With 12 regular-season games left, the Braves are already mapping out the postseason and the latest injuries have forced another look at how that October roster might take shape. Bryce Elder and Lane Thomas both changed the calculus, and the updated projection now reflects a team trying to balance familiar everyday pieces with enough flexibility to survive whatever the playoffs ask of it.
Behind the plate, Drake Baldwin and Sean Murphy are both in the picture, while the infield group still centers on names like Matt Olson and Ha-Seong Kim. The pitching staff has also shifted, with Ray Kerr stepping in for Elder, and the remaining spots have become a real puzzle of fit and function, including depth players who can pinch-run or pinch-hit when the game tightens and every decision carries more weight. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Face A Tough Bullpen Call As Robert Suarez Nears Return
Robert Suarez is moving closer to a return after getting through live batting practice, a promising sign for a Braves bullpen that could use another late-inning arm as the season tightens. His recovery from an elbow injury has kept him on the shelf, but the ramp-up has at least given Atlanta a clearer picture of when it might get one of its more important relief pieces back in the mix.
Suarezs timeline now comes with a roster decision attached, and that is where things get tricky for Atlanta. Adding him back should strengthen the bullpen, but it also forces the Braves to weigh pitching depth against the need to keep enough arms available, with relievers like Bailey Falter potentially feeling the squeeze as the club sorts out how to enter a critical stretch of the schedule. [Read more 🡒]
Braves International Class Looks Better Than That Ugly DSL Record
The Dominican Summer League record was ugly, but the Braves have reason to look past it. Atlantas 2026 international class included several young players who flashed enough ability to make the organizations long view a little more encouraging, even as the group as a whole finished near the bottom in both run production and run prevention. Jose Nelo, Sherrintley Da Costa Gomez, Jose Manon and Jorwin Pulido were among the signings who gave scouts something to keep tracking.
Pulido, in particular, stood out by earning a midseason jump to the Florida Complex League and then handling the higher level better after the move. The kind of year the Braves got in the DSL is rarely pretty, but individual progress matters most at this stage, and the early returns suggest this class may be better than the final standings make it look. [Read more 🡒]