The Atlanta Braves need to add starting pitching to a rotation that struggled with depth in 2024.
Chris Sale was elite, winning the National League Cy Young Award. Max Fried was elite, but he’s since signed with the New York Yankees. Reynaldo Lopez was good when he was healthy, which seems to be the only thing limiting his potential. Charlie Morton is also a free agent and he seems unlikely to re-sign with Atlanta.
The Braves could use a blockbuster trade to bring a starting pitcher in and the San Diego Padres are the perfect trade partner.
FanSided’s Jacob Mountz recently pitched the idea of the Braves trading for Padres ace Dylan Cease this offseason. Cease is projected to make $13 million in 2025 before he’s projected to sign a $108 million deal in free agency next winter, per Spotrac.