The Atlanta Braves have been spending a bit more than normal this winter, with their free agent contracts leading to the construction of an interesting roster.
But, there's still room in the starting rotation for another pitcher, especially with a few starters coming off injury, and the uncertainty with Chris Sale and Spencer Strider.
That uncertainty had ESPN's David Schoenfield linking the Braves to a pair of future Hall of Famers in free agency. Both Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer would be great pickups for the Braves this offseason.
Braves linked to Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander in free agency
"Atlanta and San Diego make sense for either future Hall of Famer," Schoenfeild writes. "The Braves have several pitchers coming off injuries, plus two potentially fragile starters in Chris Sale and Spencer Strider, so maybe a six-man rotation makes sense for them."
While the Braves might not need a starter as desperately as some other teams that'd be in on the pair of future Hall of Famers, like the San Diego Padres, the Braves could still benefit from having one on the roster.
Verlander and Scherzer didn't have the best 2025 seasons, but they both are interested in pitching in 2026, and the Braves, without a dire need, would be a good landing spot for either future Hall of Famer.
Of the two, Verlander is the better option for the Braves. He went 0-8 to begin the year, but in the final 13 starts this past season, he had a 2.60 ERA and was overall a quality starter for the San Francisco Giants.
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Scherzer allowed one run in 4.1 innings in the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and while he had a 9.00 ERA in the last six starts in 2025, he's not a terrible option to bolster the rotation depth in Atlanta.
Either future Hall of Famer could be a fun addition for the Braves, especially since they won't be relied upon to be the frontline starter that some of the other top free agents are.
Framber Valdez and Ranger Suarez are options for the Braves this offseason, but they will cost significantly more than either Verlander or Scherzer, with both potentially reaching 9-figure deals this winter.
Adding a cheaper option in Verlander or Scherzer makes a lot of sense for the Braves, and Scheonfield linking them to these two future Hall of Famers this offseason makes a lot of sense for both sides.
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