3 veteran starting pitchers the Atlanta Braves should consider after signing Jurickson Profar for cheap

The Atlanta Braves have had an interesting offseason. Two starting rotation spots still remain vacant after the departure of Charlie Morton and Max Fried. While this is obviously a need that should be addressed as soon as possible, Atlanta’s most recent free agent signing has put them in a position to make major moves. 

Alex Anthopoulos was able to snag switch-hitting All-Star outfielder Jurickson Profar off the free agent market. Profar agreed to a three-year deal worth $42 million which is a budget deal compared to what Anthony Santander got from the Toronto Blue Jays. If Anthopoulos holds true to his word concerning the luxury tax, do not be surprised if Atlanta gets a big name or even two in their rotation. Here are three veteran arms the Braves should consider that could turn out much like Chris Sale has. 

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Max Scherzer 

Max Scherzer is known as one of the most intense competitors in all of Major League Baseball. However, at the age of 40, we have started to see his performance drop and become more injury-prone. Scherzer only appeared in nine games in 2024 with the Texas Rangers where he went 2-4 with a 3.95 ERA. With his inability to stay healthy, he is likely no longer a risk the Rangers are willing to take but Alex Anthopoulos may roll the dice. 

Scherzer has three Cy Young awards and has appeared in eight All-Star games so we all know what he is capable of and will undoubtedly at least be on the Hall of Fame ballot one day. In his past free agent trials, Scherzer has used these accolades as leverage to get every penny possible, this season will be no different. However, with the alleged spending budget the Braves possess, Atlanta can afford to overpay Scherzer for one year to see what the veteran has left in the tank. 

Scherzer's last signed contract was for 3 years/$130 million with the majority of that money front-loaded. The way his contract was structured, Scherzer earned $12.5 million a season ago. Since Charlie Morton received $15 million from the Baltimore Orioles, Scherzer is likely to use that as a comp and argue he has a much higher value than Morton and look for at least $20 million. Scherzer’s competitive nature and ability to win games would fit nicely in Atlanta but this would be the riskiest move Alex Anthopoulos has made in his Braves’ tenure which will likely deter them away from the idea. This option should still be at least considered. 

Potential contract: 1 year/$25 million

Clayton Kershaw 

It is very hard to imagine left-handed starter Clayton Kershaw in anything else other than Dodger blue. Each passing day makes this scenario a little more realistic. Much like Scherzer, Kershaw is a future Hall of Famer who is at the tail end of his career. He recently has struggled to stay healthy as well and the Dodgers rotation has quickly filled up with multiple very reliable options. 

For his career, Kershaw is 212-94 with an astonishing 2.50 ERA but is coming off a season where he only made seven starts going 2-2 with a 4.50 ERA. The amount of money it would take for Kershaw to sign elsewhere is really a mystery since he has spent all 17 years of his career with the Dodgers but would most likely cost less than Scherzer, especially if he goes to a contender like the Braves. 

Kershaw declined his player option with the Dodgers that would earn him a base salary of $10 million for the 2025 season so we do know he is looking for more money. More than doubling his expected salary for next season could be an offer Kershaw could not refuse. 

Potential contract: 1 year/$21.5 million

Mike Clevinger

Mike Clevinger seems like a good fit for the Atlanta Braves. He could provide some experience at the back end of the rotation and could be a nice complement to Atlanta’s 1-2 punch in Spencer Strider and Chris Sale. 

Clevinger is not necessarily a big name that would get a lot of people’s attention but he would fit within the Braves' budget and allow room for another starter, outfielder or shortstop to be acquired later. In his career between time with the Cleveland Guardians, San Diego Padres and Chicago White Sox, Clevinger is 60-42 with a 3.51 ERA. 

Clevinger is effective when he is on the mound but due to injuries, he has missed a lot of starts.  This would be a good low-risk, high-reward type deal for Alex Anthopoulos if Clevinger would be willing to accept a short-term deal not worth a lot of money. Not many players these days would even consider that but this would give Clevinger a chance to go to a contender and prove that he still has a lot of value. 

With the Chicago White Sox last season, Clevinger made $3 million. At age 34 and his history of injury, not many teams would consider proposing a deal to Clevinger for more than two seasons. Atlanta could be the best option if they commit to a two-year deal with higher annual values than what he saw in Chicago. 

Potential contract: 2 years/$10 million