If the Atlanta Braves are going to make any moves at all, they are likely to come on the pitching side of things. It is always a good idea to keep an eye out for useful bullpen arms for depth even if Atlanta feels as though signing Robert Suarez will be the last major signing there. As for the rotation, that feels more like a luxury for 2026, but it is a luxury that the Braves have mentioned all offseason as a demographic they are keeping a close eye on.
One arm that felt like a potential Braves target is righty Michael King. King's stuff passes the eye test and while he was expected to be cheaper than options like Framber Valdez and Ranger Suarez, his production (when he is on the field anyways) has been very strong.
Unfortunately (or perhaps fortunately), King is no longer an options. Despite being predicted to go one of the deep-pocketed big market teams this offseason, King instead went back to the Padres who had been an afterthought this offseason until now.
Padres may have saved the Braves from a costly mistake by re-signing Michael King
It is fascinating that King ended up taking a three year, $75 million deal from San Diego and may speak to just how much having the qualifying offer attached can hurt your value in free agency. However, King had previously been predicted to get four years, $80 million, so perhaps the biggest takeaway here is that AJ Preller and the Padres are clearly up to something over there.
For the Braves, this is honestly probably a blessing in disguise. Yes, there is one less talented arm available, but that Atlanta would lose a first round pick in the 2026 MLB Draft to sign King and take on all of the injury risk he comes with always felt a little suspect. There is a world where a free agent pitcher is worth the cost for the Braves, but King would have been a stretch at best.
At the moment, it is probably best to consider the Braves opportunistic. If a quality arm either can't find the deal they want and want to take a one year deal or a good value falls in their laps, Atlanta could easily pounce. What they don't have to do is get into a bidding war with anyone over a starter given that they do have enough rotation arms to start the 2026 season. Thankfully, there is now one less opportunity for that to happen.