There has been a lot of talk about the Atlanta Braves going after starting pitching this offseason, but is it necessary for success in 2020?
The easy and obvious answer to the question stated above is, yes. If the Atlanta Braves want to compete for a World Series title in 2020 they need to acquire at least one starting pitcher this offseason.
But there is a chance that Alex Anthopoulos and the front office decide to allocate the money available to improve the lineup and plugging holes at third base, corner outfield, and catcher.
Atlanta isn’t the only team looking for starting pitching this offseason, which could drastically drive up the prices of free agents and trade targets.
If that price goes beyond what the Braves are comfortable spending, then don’t be surprised if they fail to acquire a frontline starter this offseason.
I still think at the very least they bring back a veteran who could eat some innings — dare I say Julio Teheran.
The fact is, the Braves have a lot of starting pitchers in the system who are ready to compete at the Major League level.
But for a team who is win-now mode, it’s hard to go into a season with some of those pitchers as they are unknowns at this point.
Last season Atlanta was 12th in baseball in starter ERA at 4.20. The two World Series teams (Houston and Washington) were second and third at 3.53 and 3.61 respectively.
If the Braves are going to have any hope in the postseason in 2020, they have to get more consistent outings from their starting pitchers.
And again, I would be shocked if AA doesn’t bring in at least one starting pitcher this offseason. But let’s take a look at what the rotation could look like before any moves are made.