The Atlanta Braves came out swinging early in the offseason, checking off several key items on their to-do list. But as we hit mid-January, the flurry of moves has slowed, and there’s a clear area that still needs attention: the starting rotation. For a team with October ambitions, that’s not just a box to check - it’s a priority.
General Manager Alex Anthopoulos knows it, too. He’s not sugarcoating the situation.
“We’ve explored the starting rotation, adding and getting some type of starter, whether that’s trade or signing,” Anthopoulos said. “We’d like for it to be someone impactful, someone we think can start a playoff game.”
That’s the key phrase: “start a playoff game.” This isn’t about back-end depth or innings-eaters - it’s about finding someone who can take the ball in a high-stakes postseason matchup and go toe-to-toe with the best.
The Braves have the offense. The bullpen is solid.
But in the postseason, it’s the arms at the front of the rotation that often make the difference between a deep run and an early exit.
One player who could help shape that future - albeit in a different area of the roster - is Michael Harris II. Last season was a tale of two halves for the 22-year-old centerfielder. Early on, Harris struggled to find his rhythm at the plate, but he made significant adjustments after the All-Star break that helped him turn the corner.
“Chipper told me it’s better to swing up to down than down to up, so being up there is a good thing,” Harris said, referring to advice from Braves legend Chipper Jones. “And I feel like everything’s been a lot cleaner since then and I haven’t had to think as much.”
The adjustment? Raising his hands - something he’d done his whole life before changing things up after his big-league call-up. It was a return to comfort, and it paid off.
“We were trying to find something and trying to get those hands in the right spot,” Harris explained. “And ultimately it came down to me just saying, all right, I’m just going to raise them up. It can’t hurt.”
But while Harris remains a key piece of the Braves’ long-term plan, the front office is keeping an eye on the future - and maybe a little pressure from below won’t hurt. Enter Starling De La Cruz, a newly signed international prospect who brings a different kind of game to the table.
De La Cruz is a speed-first outfielder with a hit-over-power profile, but don’t let that label fool you. He makes hard contact, and while he may not project as a slugger, there’s enough pop in his bat to keep pitchers honest. At this stage, his frame doesn’t suggest a ton of future muscle, but his instincts and range in the outfield have scouts buzzing about his potential to develop into a Gold Glove-caliber defender.
If things break right, De La Cruz could be a name Braves fans hear a lot more of in the coming years.
For now, Harris remains the guy in center field - and rightfully so. His glove is elite, and if he can carry over the offensive gains from the second half of last season, he could be in for a breakout campaign.
But knowing there’s a talented, hungry prospect working his way up through the system? That’s the kind of internal competition that can sharpen a player’s focus.
It’s a long season, and development takes time. But the Braves are clearly building for now and for what’s next.
Whether it’s adding a frontline starter or watching the rise of a young outfielder, the pieces are moving. And in Atlanta, expectations remain sky-high.