The Atlanta Braves have done an excellent job addressing their needs this offseason. It may be one of their best in recent years. However, there is still some work left to do, and the starting rotation is at the top of that list.
Recently, Merrill Kelly signed with the Diamondbacks on a two-year, $40 million contract. This shows that the price for starting pitching will be higher than expected. With another option off the board for Atlanta, let's examine a few options remaining that would be good fits for the Braves.
Here are the best free agent starter options remaining for the Braves to improve their rotation
Ranger Suárez
Suárez should be high on Atlanta's radar as he may be the best starter left available. Over the last four seasons, Suárez has had a 3.59 ERA with 185 walks and 544 strikeouts. His groundball rate remained impressive, as it sits above 50%, and his 12.1 bWAR ranks 19th among all pitchers. Now, his fastball velocity isn't anything to write home about, but he excels in limiting walks and missing barrels. That would be a very worthy investment for the right price. Fangraphs has Suárez projected to earn a five-year contract with an AAV of $25 million with other estimates being pretty variable.
Free agent LHP Ranger Suárez has a 1.48 ERA over 42.2 career Postseason innings!@Russ_Dorsey1 highlights the southpaw and why his success in October will have plenty of teams interested. pic.twitter.com/20MTmFlrl1
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) December 5, 2025
Zac Gallen
Gallen is coming off his worst season with a 4.83 ERA over 192 innings, including 66 walks and 175 strikeouts. While his numbers weren't very impressive, he stayed healthy and started 33 games. That's something the Braves need in their rotation. MLB expert Jim Bowden projects Gallen signing a five-year, $135 million contract. That would be an absurd risk for Atlanta to take with his previous health issues and underperformance. However, the Braves could take a chance on him on a one or two-year deal worth around $20 million.
Michael King
King had a breakout season as a full-time starter in 2024 with the Padres. Unfortunately, shoulder and knee injuries prevented him from pitching a full season in 2025. He made 15 starts last year with a 3.44 ERA over 73.1 innings. He didn't miss a lot of barrels last season, and it caused a spike in homers allowed. While he struggled, it could be worth taking a flyer on King for one season to see if he can turn things around.
Framber Valdez
Valdez had a 3.66 ERA in 2025 over 192 innings with 68 walks and 187 strikeouts. He is a great left-handed option for the Braves to consider. His groundball and barrel rates were elite last season. There are things to like about his arsenal, and he's been fairly durable. Valdez's main struggle is allowing hard contact, so this will be something for teams to keep in mind. All signs point to him signing elsewhere, but Atlanta will likely have checked in on the southpaw.