The Atlanta Braves may look set on paper, but anyone who has followed this team over the last few seasons knows the truth: talent has never been the issue, availability has. Year after year, Atlanta enters the season with one of baseball’s most intimidating rotations, only to see injuries chip away at that strength until depth becomes a nightly concern. The Braves explored a solution in Framber Valdez, a proven workhorse who could have brought much-needed stability, but with Valdez heading to Detroit, Atlanta is once again forced to pivot and reassess its options.
That pivot could lead the Braves down a more familiar path, one that prioritizes reliability over flash. According to FanSided’s Christopher Kline, Atlanta may target veteran right-hander Chris Bassitt, a former All-Star who has quietly built a reputation as one of the most dependable arms in the league.
“On the surface, the Atlanta Braves’ rotation is fairly well off. Injuries have become a relentless storyline in Atlanta over the past few years, however, so the Braves know the benefit of depth better than most,” Kline wrote. “Valdez is a classic workhorse, a true innings-eater who takes the mound every fifth game and generally delivers stable results. Chris Bassitt comes with a bit more game-to-game variance at this point in his career, but he should also come on a cheap one-year deal. And durability is Bassitt’s superpower. He has made 30-plus starts and pitched at least 170 innings in four straight years now. Bassitt relies on a bendy slider and swooping curves, along with a deep bank of offspeed offerings, so he should age more gracefully than others in his generation.”
That durability is exactly what makes Bassitt so appealing for Atlanta. While he may not dominate headlines, he does something the Braves desperately need: he shows up. In 2025, Bassitt went 11-9 with a 3.96 ERA, striking out 166 batters and posting a 1.327 WHIP across 170 innings. Those numbers may not scream ace, but they are more than respectable for a back-end starter, especially one capable of stabilizing a rotation that has been stretched thin far too often.
Bassitt’s value goes beyond the stat line. He eats innings, keeps his team in games, and gives the bullpen a break, all critical traits for a No. 5 starter on a contender. His varied pitch mix and reliance on movement rather than overpowering velocity also suggest he can remain effective even as he continues to age.
At the moment, Bassitt is projected to command a two-year, $31 million deal. However, as free agency winds down and his market remains surprisingly quiet, the possibility of a one-year agreement becomes increasingly realistic. For the Braves, that scenario would be close to ideal: minimal long-term risk with the immediate reward of a dependable arm who can take the ball every fifth day.
If Atlanta is serious about protecting itself against the injury bug that has haunted recent seasons, signing someone like Bassitt makes all the sense in the world. It may not be the splashiest move, but it could be one of the smartest, giving the Braves the reliability they need to solidify their rotation and stay in the fight over a long, unforgiving season.