The Atlanta Braves' desperation to find pitching could reunite the team with a familiar face in the coming weeks. Former Atlanta starter Kolby Allard has hit free agency after the Cleveland Guardians designated the pitcher for assignment.
Allard was an Atlanta draft selection before being traded to the Texas Rangers in exchange for reliever Chris Martin. Considering the veteran's contributions to the team's World Series run, there is no question the Braves won the trade. Still, Allard would later return to the organization that drafted him in exchange for a veteran pitcher.
Atlanta didn't waste any time giving Allard a chance to work his way back into the team's plans, but the results remained frustrating. The second stint with the Braves would end in frustration, with Allard joining a division rival in the Philadelphia Phillies. It didn't take long for Philly to grow impatient with the starter and turn the page as well. This leads into the latest stop with the Cleveland Guardians opting to follow the same path as the previous teams.
Former Top Braves Prospect Kolby Allard Hits Free Agency
The production simply wasn't consistent enough for Cleveland to justify continuing to give the veteran a roster spot. For the Braves, this could serve as an opportunity to bring in an arm you have zero expectations for. This is the point in Atlanta's season we have reached when it comes to continuing to find rock bottom.
Atlanta simply needs an arm that can spare its farm system and not ruin further development of top pitching prospects. The Braves need someone to step in and eat innings with the majority of their starting rotation remaining on the shelf. Allard is an ideal option, already having exhausted his career path and leaving little room to wonder how things will go moving forward.
Re-signing the pitcher isn't about any hope that you find surprise production or that the starter can turn back the clock. It is a simple math problem of not having enough arms to eat innings without calling up pieces who simply aren't ready for the moment. Didier Fuentes is the latest example of this, with Atlanta attempting to fast-track the starter's development based on pure desperation.
The results have been alarming and left room to wonder if Fuentes has seen his confidence damaged moving forward. Regardless, the Braves cannot afford to continue making these same types of decisions; reuniting with Allard solves this concern.