Braves predicted to sign $38M high-risk, injury prone arm to 'save' rotation with Chris Sale

The Atlanta Braves have been hit with some early setbacks during Spring Training. The first blow came when Spencer Schwellenbach announced he wouldn’t be ready for the start of the season.

“The Braves opened camp this morning with an unwelcome update on talented young righty Spencer Schwellenbach. He’s been placed on the 60-day injured list due to inflammation in his right elbow, per Mark Bowman of MLB.com. The team’s hope is that the 25-year-old is dealing with bone spurs and not something more nefarious,” MLB Trade Rumors’ Steve Adams wrote.

Then, Jurickson Profar received a major suspension for PEDs, marking his second consecutive season missing time for the Braves.

“Atlanta Braves designated hitter Jurickson Profar is facing a 162-game suspension after testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug for the second time in the last year, sources told ESPN on Tuesday. Profar, 33, is the sixth player to receive a 162-game ban for PED use since Major League Baseball increased the penalty for two-time offenders to a full season in 2014. He will forfeit the entirety of his $15 million salary,” ESPN’s Jeff Passan wrote.

Profar’s lost contract could free up resources for the Braves to bolster their pitching, an area still in need of attention. One possible target is Lucas Giolito.

“Lucas Giolito is one of the biggest names still remaining on the free agent market; however, there are some unattractive attributes that come with the veteran right-hander. While his 2025 numbers look like a solid number 4 or number 5 starter, his projections for 2026 are much worse, and his expected ERA in 2025 was much higher than his actual, implying a combination of run support and luck were on his side,” FanSided’s Austin Owens wrote. “Signing Giolito would be a high-risk, high-reward situation for the Braves. Situations like this are not exactly GM Alex Anthopoulos' forte.”

The Braves are in urgent need of pitching, particularly if their internal options can’t stabilize the back end of the rotation. Atlanta is aiming for a rebound after a forgettable 2025.

While signing Giolito may not be a perfect solution, it could buy the team some time until Schwellenbach is ready to return. How Anthopoulos navigates this situation will be one of the more intriguing storylines of the Braves’ offseason.

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