The free agent is unlikely to join with the Los Angeles Dodgers again. After acquiring Blake Snell earlier this winter, the Dodgers are the favorites to sign Japanese ace Roki Sasaki next. That leaves Flaherty seeking for a big contract somewhere else. Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report recently predicted that the Atlanta Braves will be among the top teams in the Flaherty sweepstakes after missing out on Max Fried and Charlie Morton in free agency.
“The Braves were B/R’s original prediction for Flaherty when the offseason began, and considering they’ve lost both Morton and Max Fried this winter, Atlanta still makes a ton of sense for the 29-year-old righty,” says Kelly.
“On paper, the Braves starting rotation could be one of the best in baseball. “However, Spencer Strider is recovering from an internal brace treatment that cost him nearly the whole 2024 season and will not be ready for Opening Day. Meanwhile, Chris Sale and Reynaldo López have significant injury risks. “The Braves, like any other team in the league, need to add Flaherty.
Atlanta struggled to find pitching depth in 2024 after losing Spencer Strider for the season. The Braves have lost Fried and Morton without replacing them. Adding a dependable arm like the former Dodgers righty would be a significant boost for Atlanta. He would join Chris Sale at the top of the Braves rotation.
Flaherty and Fried were high school classmates, so having Flaherty replace Fried would be a full circle moment.
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