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Who is in the Atlanta Braves starting rotation in 2020?

By Matthew Browning

TORONTO, ON - AUGUST 27: Mike Soroka #40 of the Atlanta Braves delivers a pitch in the second inning during an MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on August 27, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - AUGUST 27: Mike Soroka #40 of the Atlanta Braves delivers a pitch in the second inning during an MLB game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on August 27, 2019 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA, GEORGIA – AUGUST 21:  Julio Teheran #49 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the sixth inning against the Miami Marlins at SunTrust Park on August 21, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – AUGUST 21:  Julio Teheran #49 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the sixth inning against the Miami Marlins at SunTrust Park on August 21, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Logan Riely/Getty Images) /

The Locks and Near-Locks

Mike Soroka will likely finish in the top four of the National League Cy Young race and has emerged as the top of the rotation starter the Braves have been longing for.

As of September 4th, Soroka was 11-3 with a 2.53 ERA, a 1.100 WHIP and a WAR of 5.3

Injuries have been a concern in the past, but barring something happening to him, Soroka will be a fixture atop the Braves rotation for many years to come.

Max Fried has more wins (16) than any other left-handed pitcher in the National League this season. He has an ERA of 3.86, a WHIP of 1.319 and a WAR of 3.2.

Fried has dealt with blister problems in the past but seems to have them under control. While his ceiling is not as high as Soroka’s, Fried can be a solid No. 2 or No. 3 starter.

After these two, it gets a little more interesting.

First, Julio Teheran has a $12 million dollar option for next season, which seems like a no-brainer to pick up based on his season, where he is 9-8 with a 3.38 ERA, 1.316 WHIP, and a 3.2 WAR.

Mike Foltynewicz’s 2019 season has been inconsistent at best.

First injured in Spring Training, Foltynewicz has never found the consistency that led to him being a 2018 All-Star. He is approaching his second time through the arbitration process, but it seems unlikely that he will have a significant raise from his current salary of $5.4 million.

The common-sense approach to both players would be to bring both back and then if either falters or prospects emerge then they could be traded.

But there is at least a chance that Teheran’s option could be declined and Foltynewicz could be traded.

Those chances are very small.

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