The Atlanta Braves are heading into 2026 with a familiar and frustrating challenge: a battered starting rotation. After a 2025 season that spiraled largely due to injuries, the Braves are already dealing with another major blow.
Spencer Schwellenbach, who missed the final stretch of last season with a fractured right elbow, is now expected to miss at least the first two months of 2026 due to a bone spur in the same arm. That’s a tough break for the 25-year-old righty-and for a Braves team that can’t afford another slow start.
Atlanta’s front office is well aware of the urgency. With Zac Gallen still on the open market, the Braves have been linked to the free-agent right-hander. But there’s growing chatter that Chris Bassitt might be the more realistic-and more Braves-like-target.
Former MLB catcher Eric Kratz weighed in on the situation during a recent episode of the Foul Territory podcast, and his take hits home for a franchise that’s built a reputation on finding value where others see risk. Kratz isn’t knocking Gallen’s talent-few would-but he questions whether the Braves are willing to meet the kind of contract demands Gallen might command, especially if it involves multi-year commitments with opt-outs.
“I bet it becomes the Chris Bassitt play,” Kratz said. “I’m not saying he’s better than Zac Gallen. I’m just saying it feels like the Braves won’t dip into the possibility of a two- or three-year deal with the first-year opt-out for Zac Gallen.”
That logic tracks with how Atlanta has operated in recent years. They’ve consistently found success with veteran arms who can eat innings, compete in big spots, and-most importantly-stay on the field. And Bassitt checks a lot of those boxes.
After wrapping up a three-year, $63 million deal with the Blue Jays, Bassitt is back on the market. In Toronto, he logged 541.1 innings across 96 appearances, posting a 3.89 ERA.
That kind of durability is exactly what Atlanta lacked last season. With Chris Sale and Spencer Strider both starting 2025 on the IL, and with Grant Holmes and Schwellenbach missing the final two months, the Braves’ rotation was held together with duct tape by September.
Manager Walt Weiss acknowledged the setback with Schwellenbach, calling it a tough situation for the young pitcher. “Before a season even starts, your pitching is going to get tested. It’s inevitable,” Weiss said.
That’s the reality in today’s game. Depth isn’t a luxury-it’s a necessity. And Kratz believes the Braves should’ve already fortified their rotation given how last season unfolded.
“To me, it should’ve happened before, because of how many guys were hurt last year,” Kratz said. “All of those dudes are not going to be healthy this year.
So, they knew this was going to happen. It’s time.
You’ve got to go out and get some of these guys. You’re fortunate that there are still some available.”
Bassitt, in particular, fits the mold of a Braves pickup. He’s not flashy, but he’s steady.
He knows how to pitch, he’s had success in the NL East, and he’s battle-tested. For a team that finished fourth in the National League last year with a 76-86 record, that kind of reliability could be the difference between another disappointing season and a return to form.
The Braves have shown time and again that they’re not afraid to zig when others zag. If they choose Bassitt over Gallen, it won’t be because they’re settling-it’ll be because they’re sticking to what’s worked.
And with Opening Day creeping closer, it’s clear that Atlanta needs to make a move soon. The rotation can’t afford another year of what-ifs.