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Braves: 4 more moves to complete a great offseason

By Jake Mastroianni

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MAY 31: Zack Wheeler #45 of the New York Mets delivers a first inning pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on May 31, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images)
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - MAY 31: Zack Wheeler #45 of the New York Mets delivers a first inning pitch against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on May 31, 2019 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) /
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CINCINNATI, OHIO – SEPTEMBER 21: Zack  Wheeler #45 of the New York Mets pitches during the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on September 21, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Bryan Woolston/Getty Images)
CINCINNATI, OHIO – SEPTEMBER 21: Zack  Wheeler #45 of the New York Mets pitches during the game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on September 21, 2019 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Bryan Woolston/Getty Images) /

Zack Wheeler

It’s time for the Atlanta Braves to go out on a limb and sign a frontline starting pitcher in free agency.

I can’t think of the last time they spent big money on a frontline starter (Derek Lowe? … I kid, I kid).

And Dallas Keuchel on a one-year deal doesn’t count either.

Related Story. Braves should go big ... sign Gerrit Cole. light

Zack Wheeler is someone who could lead the Braves rotation along with Mike Soroka for the next four or five years.

MLB Trade Rumors has him signing a five-year deal for $100 million, which is an AAV of $20, so it’s not like that would break the bank.

And people tend to think Wheeler hasn’t been as consistent because of injuries, but he’s thrown 182.1 and 195.1 innings in the last two seasons respectively.

Those injuries could help him be more fresh at the end of his career (wishful thinking) as he’s thrown 749.1 Major League innings in the last seven season (he missed all of 2015 and 2016).

Maybe Wheeler isn’t the guy, but the other moves should leave enough space for the Braves to get a frontline starter and spend around $20 million a year on a pitcher.

As far as free agents go, outside of Stephen Strasburg and Gerrit Cole, Wheeler is my top choice.

It would cost the Braves another draft pick, but in this scenario, they get a pick back with Donaldson signing elsewhere so in the end they just lose one.

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