Braves: 3 pitchers Atlanta can sign after missing on Justin Verlander

1. Anthony DeSclafani

There is no way in the world that the Giants expected to get the season from Anthony DeSclafani that the right-hander ultimately put forth in San Francisco when they signed him. After all, he was coming off a nine-start season with the Reds during which he posted an astronomical 7.22 ERA.

DeSclafani turned that around in a monster way, though, as the 31-year-old posted a career-best 3.17 ERA along with an impressive 1.091 WHIP. He was a dominant force that, frankly, didn’t get the credit he deserved given the way that Logan Webb and Kevin Gausman performed for the Giants. But that could be to the benefit of Atlanta on the free agency market.

Though there will certainly be a bevy of clubs who are interested in seeing if we’re at the start of an early-30s surge from DeSclafani, the lack of a long track record for him pitching at this level could depress his value on the market and, thus, create the opportunity for the Braves to get a steal to fill the hole they’re looking to.

Based on price and in trying to mitigate risks, my money would be on DeSclafani being the best option for Atlanta to grab in free agency now that Verlander is no longer an option and given the landscape of the rest of the market.