Braves’ fifth starter battle will begin in spring training opener

As Mike Soroka comes back from a torn Achilles’ tendon, the Atlanta Braves have a fifth spot in the starting rotation available.

What used to be a weakness for the Atlanta Braves now looks to be a strength.

Atlanta had its issues with the starting rotation a season ago, but Ian Anderson’s emergence, as well as two strong free-agent acquisitions in Charlie Morton and Drew Smyly, have given the Braves something substantial to work with in spring training. Anderson, Morton and Smyly will join Max Fried as virtual locks in Atlanta’s rotation. However, that fifth spot is still up for grabs.

If Mike Soroka is healthy enough to make the Opening Day roster out of camp, then problem solved. However, Atlanta knows it must take its time with Soroka’s ongoing recovery. For that reason, the battle for the fifth spot in the Atlanta rotation begins on Sunday afternoon, as Kyle Wright toes the rubber in the Braves’ first spring training game of 2021 vs. the Tampa Bay Rays.

Kyle Wright will battle Bryse Wilson, among others, for that No. 5 spot

Wright was in and out of the Braves’ rotation a season ago. While the former Vanderbilt standout had his moments, Atlanta could not count on him once the calendar flipped to October like it could with Anderson and Fried. Though he got less run than Wright, Bryse Wilson pitched a gem for the Braves in the NLCS vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers. He is poised to make the Opening Day roster.

Ahead of Sunday’s spring training opener, the MLB‘s plan is to have every game up until March 14 be of the seven-inning variety. Depending on what the respective managers want to do, these spring training games can be expanded to nine innings or decreased to five. There is also a decent chance these games could be spaced out, so that they are not played every single day this spring.

If Soroka is not ready for Opening Day, look for either Wilson or Wright to keep his seat warm.