There are a lot of good things to be said about the Atlanta Braves‘ offseason to this point. They have sured up their bullpen, which was a big issue last season, and Atlanta has addressed the shortstop position and added outfield depth with the signings of Ha-Seong Kim and Mike Yastrzemski.
However, does Atlanta need to do more? Many who cover the team believe that the Braves need to make another splash or two during MLB’s free agency to complete the roster heading into 2026. The Braves continue to be linked to top free agent starters, but there has been no traction on if any contracts are imminent. A recent prediction by Sports Illustrated has Atlanta making a splash for $74 million for projected starter Zac Gallen.
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Can the Braves Afford Zac Gallen?
A recent article by SI.com’s Will Laws and Nick Selbe ranks the top 15 remaining free agents, and the two MLB writers predict where those players will sign ahead of the 2026 season.
Zac Gallen comes in at number nine on the list and is predicted to sign with the Atlanta Braves:
“Gallen has made 126 starts over the past four seasons and has logged the third-most innings in baseball during that span, so durability is clearly among his strongest traits. Whether or not all that mileage has begun to wear him down is another issue. He posted career worsts in ERA (4.58), FIP (4.50) and strikeout rate (21.5%) in 2025, a swift decline after back-to-back top-10 Cy Young Award finishes in â22 and â23.”
So, what is Zac Gallen’s market value? According to Spotrac, Gallen is projected to earn a four-year deal worth $74.8 million. That’s an AAV of $18 million. Can the Braves afford that?
GettyZac Gallen of the Arizona Diamondbacks
GM Alex Anthopulos has been adamant about adding another impact arm to the pitching staff, and you could assume that means a starting pitcher, especially one like Gallen, who has a strong track record of taking the ball every fifth day.
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Braves’ Internal Starting Pitching Options
While the Braves have been slightly linked to one of the top starter options on the free agent market in Ranger Suarez, Atlanta doesn’t necessarily need a frontline starter, as Chris Sale and Spencer Schwellenbach seemingly have that role.
Spencer Strider, Grant Holmes, and Hurston Waldrep are likely next in line in terms of getting meaningful innings. However, Sale, Schwellenbach, and Holmes all dealt with injuries in 2025, so trying to bring in an arm that is a low risk of injury is considered a top priority for the Braves.
If they are unable to reach a deal with Zac Gallen because his asking price is too high, Atlanta could consider targeting cheaper options like Chris Bassitt, Zack Littell, or Patrick Corbin.
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