Atlanta Braves Going into the Season Still Lacking an Ace

The Atlanta Braves are headed into the 2020 season with a strong bullpen and a solid rotation. However, the Braves lack a true number one to start in a must win game come postseason time.

The Atlanta Braves are a very talented roster that will be back in the postseason in 2020. But the team is still lacking a big piece they need to win it all. They don’t have a starter to send to the mound in a must win game.

Mike Soroka and Max Fried have both been great but neither are proven commodities at this point in their careers. Cole Hamels is on the back nine of his career and isn’t who you want on the mound in a must win game.

This leaves Sean Newcomb and Mike Foltynewicz the latter of whom is responsible for the Braves losing their final postseason game to the Cardinals.

This isn’t to say the Braves rotation is bad, only that they are lacking a proven number one that they can count on. The Mets, Nationals, and even the Phillies to some extent have a better top of the rotation option they can count on to keep them in if not win them the game.

Soroka and Newcomb both have the potential to emerge as a top of the rotation arm for Atlanta this season. However, the postseason is different and the Braves would be betting on the unknown.

They made a mistake not adding a clear number one or at the very least bringing in another veteran they can count on. They have a lot of potential in their rotation but with potential comes question marks.

Question marks that will be the difference in Atlanta’s season. The offense and the bullpen are both postseason worthy units the only thing that could slow this team down in 2020 is yet again not having an ace.