As the new year begins, the Atlanta Braves need for one more starting pitcher remains at the top of their wish list.
However, as tempting as it might be to add a future Hall of Famer to the rotation (or simply reuniting with a familiar face in one case), adding either of the three free agent starters who debuted when Greg Maddux was still active simply isn't the right move.
Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, and Charlie Morton are all still available on the free agent market, but each pitcher has surpassed their 40th year around the earth and it would be wise to avoid them.
Why the Braves should pass on the geriatric starting pitchers
Just a few seasons ago, the idea of Atlanta acquiring a player of Justin Verlander or Max Scherzer's pedigree would have sent fans into a joyous frenzy. After all, it was just three seasons ago where Verlander took home the AL CY Young Award by carrying a ridiculous 1.75 ERA in 28 starts.
Scherzer, in his lone full season with the Mets in 2022 was also dominant, with a 2.29 ERA despite injuries that limited him to just 145.1 innings.
However, even the most elite pitchers can't avoid father time. For Scherzer, durability has been a huge hurdle. In his season and a half with the Rangers, the three-time Cy Young had four separate IL stints, including a stint that kept him out of the first three months of the season.
While he performed decently when he did make starts, putting together a 3.81 ERA in 36 starts over the last two seasons, he would not provide the stability in the rotation Atlanta is likely looking for.
Things went even worse for Justin Verlander last season. In his age-41 season, Verlander not only struggled with health issues, missing roughly two months across two IL stints, but he struggled on the mound. In 90.1 innings, the righty had a 5.48 ERA and 4.78 FIP.
His underlying metrics were even more concerning. His strikeout-rate fell to 18.7%, over a nine-point drop from his 2022 Cy Young season, while his 1.49 HR/9 was the highest of his career.
While the Braves might be tempted by the length of a Scherzer or Verlander contract, both are projected to get upward of $12 million. Considering the Braves seemingly altered plans after Joe Jimenez's injury revelation, which included opting to not bring Travis d'Arnaud back for $8 million, spending close to double on aging starting pitchers who struggle to stay healthy doesn't seem like a wise move.
Of course, another pitcher on the market is Charlie Morton, who has been a staple of the rotation since 2021 and has been a qualified starter in every single season.
However, the 41-year-old certainly showed signs of decline last season. His 23.8% strikeout-rate was the lowest he's had since 2015 when he was with the Pittsburgh Pirates. His 94.3 MPH fastball velocity was also the lowest in a full season since 2015.
At 41, it's easy to wonder if Morton can even replicate his 2024 performance, let alone return to his 2023 performance where he had a 3.64 ERA and 3.87 FIP.
Morton will likely be much cheaper than either Verlander or Scherzer, but the Braves would likely get a better return on their investment if they went with a younger starter to complement a very strong front of the rotation instead.