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The Atlanta Braves need to figure something out quickly when it comes to their rotation.
Spencer Strider is hurt once again, and Reynaldo López is out for the foreseeable future. If the Braves want to stay alive in the National League East, they must add to the rotation.
Jeremy Lockett of Athlon Sports believes that addition could come in the form of Triston McKenzie.
"Atlanta's track record with reclamation projects and the lack of depth of their pitching infrastructure make them an intriguing possible landing spot for McKenzie," wrote Lockett. "For the Braves, adding McKenzie wouldn't be about immediate impact—it would be about potential. At $1.95 million, he's a relatively low-cost gamble for a team that doesn't need him to carry the rotation but could stash him in the bullpen or work him through a developmental program. And with injuries always looming, having a high-upside arm in the wings isn't a bad insurance policy."
McKenzie certainly has some upside. He's only 27 years old, and he posted a 2.96 ERA over 31 appearances (30 starts) just three years ago. Since then, his numbers have been shaky, but he could certainly benefit from a change in scenery.
The Braves have a reputation in baseball for being able to right some of the wrongs previous pitchers have brought in when joining the organization. While it's not a guarantee they could figure out McKenzie's issues, he's worth taking a flyer on to see if you can dig into some of the untapped potential.
A team like the Braves, who sit at a 9-14 record entering Wednesday and 7 1/2 games out of first place already, have absolutely nothing to lose here.
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About the writer
Drew VonScio is a Newsweek contributor based in Pittsburgh, PA. His focus is on MLB content. Drew has been with ... Read more