Atlanta Braves: Top 7 Potential Starting Pitcher Trade Targets
By Seth Carter
5. Rattlesnake Ray
Robbie Ray has been a solid pitcher with high strikeout totals and high walk numbers throughout his career. Ray is only 28-years-old with a solid career ERA of 4.11. However, over the past three seasons, his ERA sits at a 3.72 in 460.0 innings pitched.
During that same time span, he has put forth 12.1 strikeouts per nine innings. As far as his control issues, he has also posted 4.4 walks per nine since 2017.
Ray would offer the Braves something they currently lack in the starting rotation: an elite-strikeout artist. Mike Foltynewicz has only had one season above an 8.4 K/9 rate and sits at 8.6 for his career. His one season was the spectacular All-Star season of 2018 in which he struck out 9.9 batters per nine innings.
Max Fried may have the potential but it remains to be seen. Mike Soroka is an old soul and we gladly do not care about his strikeout numbers.
Robbie Ray is a pitcher that has finished a season with a 2.89 ERA while leading the league in K’s per nine. He did that in 2017 at just 25-years-old.
If the Braves think they can get his walks under control, or at least reduced, then he would fit very nicely in the middle of the rotation. I’d love to see Fried, Folty, and Ray all battling for that third spot in the rotation.
What makes Robbie Ray a low-cost trade target is that he will be a free agent after the upcoming season. If the Braves feel like he’d make a nice stop-gap until Ian Anderson is ready or one of the other prospects proves themselves, he could be the piece that leads the Braves to a World Series.