The Atlanta Braves' splashy 2026 offseason was dampened by the news that shortstop Ha-Seong Kim had suffered a non-baseball-related injury and was set to miss extended time this season. Kim was one of Atlanta's prized offseason additions alongside Mike Yastrzemski and Robert Suarez. Now, the Braves need another move or two ahead of spring training to feel they have recaptured a bit of momentum and are heading in the right direction.
According to the New York Post's Jon Heyman, the Braves are interested in potential rotation upgrades, eyeing free-agent arms Lucas Giolito or Chris Bassitt.
“The Braves, I heard, are in on Giolito as well,” Heyman said on Tuesday. “I would look at the Tigers, Orioles, or Braves. The Braves are also in on Bassitt. They are looking in that area for a starter. Both excellent starters.”
Adding another reliable pitcher is the kind of final move that the Braves need to end the offseason on a high note.
Braves Signing Lucas Giolito or Chris Bassitt Would Be Huge Way to End Offseason
Already, you can lock Chris Sale, Spencer Strider, Hurston Waldrep, and Spencer Schwellenbach into rotation roles for the 2026 MLB season. This leaves one spot open, with Reynaldo Lopez and Grant Holmes being the obvious rostered options.
Signing another starter like Giolito or Bassitt changes this, putting an experienced veteran at the bottom of the rotation and pushing Holmes and Lopez into the bullpen. This gives Atlanta a truly deep pen and a rotation capable of matching up with any of the league's top contenders. If there is a path to beating the two-time defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers, it is beating their pitching staff and bullpen.
Giolito was solid in his first season since 2023, going 10-4 with a 3.41 ERA and 121 strikeouts in 145 innings across 26 starts with the Boston Red Sox. Meanwhile, Bassitt is coming off his fifth straight double-digit-win season, picking up 11 victories and a 3.96 ERA in 32 appearances (31 starts) with the Toronto Blue Jays.
In other words, the Braves would arguably have the National League's deepest rotation and bullpen by signing either Giolito or Bassitt. The only other area of concern remains whether or not underachieving veterans from the 2025 season will be able to bounce back as expected.
More importantly, the reported interest in the veteran duo signals a willingness from Atlanta's front office and ownership groups to spend top dollar. The Braves are already over the luxury tax threshold, yet appear content to continue to spend money. If the franchise was going to close ground on the Philadelphia Phillies and New York Mets, this is the type of mindset that is so badly needed.
As spring training nears, it is exciting to consider the Braves adding high-quality arms like Giolito and Bassitt. It gives a frustrated fan base every reason to believe in a 2026 turnaround, leaving time to tell if Atlanta can convince either pitcher to put pen to paper.