The Braves were linked specifically to Chris Bassitt and Lucas Giolito as targets for their starting pitching pursuit, which apparently remains active at this stage in the offseason. While those are by no means sexy options, they likely wouldn’t require eye-watering contracts and would preserve the Braves’ 2026 draft capital, as compared to Framber Valdez or Zac Gallen. Bassitt has been quite durable and consistent in the ~2.5 fWAR per (regular length) season range for seven seasons now, but hasn’t
had a peak much higher than that and will be 37 this season. Giolito had a higher peak than Bassitt from 2019-2021, but hasn’t been the same pitcher since, That said, he posted a solid back-end starter year in 2025, albeit with highly diminished strikeout stuff. Either would be solid depth options, but wouldn’t bring much upside with them beyond that, though Giolito is only 31, so perhaps a renaissance could still be in the cards for him.
Braves News
The Braves’ interest in adding starting pitching was reiterated, even at this stage in the offseason, by Jon Heyman, listing Chris Bassitt and Lucas Giolito as potential options.
MLB News
The Twins and Rockies made a minor depth trade involving three players and cash.
The Rockies traded a reliever to the Yankees for a fringe prospect.
Owen Murphy landed on Kiley McDaniel’s 101-200 prospects list over at ESPN.
