Last winter, the Atlanta Braves pulled off a heist. Trading for Chris Sale from the Boston Red Sox may have been the best move any team made all winter.
This winter, could the Braves add a former three-time Cy Young winner to pair with this year’s winner in the National League?
Max Scherzer is still a free agent, and the Braves still could use one more starting pitcher after Max Fried’s departure to the New York Yankees. Could lighting strike twice for Alex Anthopoulos and the Braves?
On Monday, Ryan Finkelstein of Just Baseball predicted that Scherzer would sign in Atlanta on a one-year, $14 million contract.
“Why not try again and bet on another aging ace who is coming off an injury-plagued year?” Finkelstein wrote. “Max Scherzer is very familiar with pitching in the NL East, and was still relatively effective in a limited sample in 2024.”
“The Braves just let Charlie Morton walk to the Baltimore Orioles for $15 million, so there is every chance they don’t have the money to spend on Scherzer. Still, the Braves could use an arm, and Scherzer has the type of upside that Alex Anthopolous likes to bet on.”
Scherzer is entering his age-40 season and made only nine starts this season after struggling through back, shoulder, and hamstring injuries. But he was still effective when he pitched, with a 3.95 ERA and 40 strikeouts in 43 1/3 innings.
If Atlanta doesn’t add any more starters via free agency or trade, the fifth starter role will likely come down to Bryce Elder, A.J. Smith-Shawver, and Hurston Waldrep. All three spent the majority of their 2024 seasons in Triple-A.
It’s good to have depth, but there’s no denying a healthy Scherzer would raise the Braves’ ceiling in the present. If all it takes is a one-year deal, there’s no reason to shy away from making something happen.
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