Braves tabbed as 'best fit' for suddenly expendable Dodgers starter

The Atlanta Braves have not made any major moves this winter, but plenty of valuable players are still available for the team to target if they want to upgrade their roster.

The Los Angeles Dodgers have added two new faces to their rotation with the additions of Rōki Sasaki and Blake Snell. They likely were not bringing Jack Flaherty back after signing Snell, but signing Sasaki likely seals the deal. While listing the best fits for remaining free agents, MLB.com's Thomas Harrigan noted that the Braves were the best fit for Flaherty. The Braves lost Max Fried and Charlie Morton this winter, but have yet to replace them.

"Signing the best starter remaining on the free-agent market would allay those concerns and quell some of the criticism surrounding Atlanta’s quiet offseason, during which the team has subtracted a number of notable players while only adding outfielder Bryan De La Cruz," wrote Harrigan. "The Braves don’t typically pursue expensive free-agent starters, but Flaherty’s reported willingness to consider a short-term deal with a high average annual value could make him a financial fit for Atlanta."

Flaherty is coming off a career year and would give the Braves rotation some much-needed help. With Spencer Strider expected to miss time, Flaherty could slot in behind Chris Sale. He had a 3.17 ERA in 28 starts and stepped up as the Dodgers ace amid injuries. However, with the Dodgers rotation getting healthy and adding two new stars, Flaherty is now expendable.

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