The Atlanta Braves have had a revolving door in the rotation throughout the last decade.
A piece of this is normal overturn, and another is because at the start of the decade, the Braves were entering a rebuilding phase that demanded consistent changes, which meant bringing in veteran arms in an attempt to fill innings and perhaps build a trade asset.
The Atlanta front office handled this well and built the current level of talent in the rotation. While injuries have limited the ceiling of the 2025 season for the unit, this doesn't lessen the impressive future the franchise has built over the past handful of seasons when it comes to the starting rotation.
Still, it is fun to look back and consider how far the Braves have come, even in the middle of a frustrating season. This includes considering the contributions of Trevor Cahill, who just announced his MLB retirement, according to Newsweek's Jon Paul Hoornstra.
The veteran pitcher opting to walk away makes sense with the last innings pitched at the Major League level coming in the 2021 season. Cahill has been unable to get back to the contributor he once was, leaving no choice but to turn the page.
Former Braves Pitcher Trevor Cahill Announces MLB Retirement
Cahill's time with the Braves was short-lived, coming all the way back in the 2015 season. The veteran was awful in 26.1 innings, forcing Atlanta to move on and starting a frustrating path for the pitcher. Cahill would land with the Chicago Cubs, improving his results and finding short-term stability before bouncing around the league.
The veteran would spend time with the Kansas City Royals, San Diego Padres, then-Oakland Athletics, Los Angeles Angels, San Francisco Giants, and Pittsburgh Pirates after leaving Atlanta. Cahill simply couldn't reach any level of consistency after a promising start to the right-handed hurler's career, regardless of where he went.
With this in mind, Cahill's retirement doesn't come as a surprise and was even expected a bit sooner. The veteran will be remembered in Atlanta for a short and frustrating stint that was typical of the Braves' rebuilding seasons. Still, it is sad to see the veteran's career come to an end, even if it is long overdue.