3 best pitchers the Braves have a real shot at with Sonny Gray off market

The Atlanta Braves were heavily connected to American League Cy Young runner-up Sonny Gray. Alex Anthopoulos aggressively cleared the Braves' cap sheet to generate room for a splashy move. Alas, Gray is on his way to a different southern franchise, signing a three-year contract with the St. Louis Cardinals worth $75 million.

If the Braves still aspire to a major addition on the pitching front, there are other options out there — both in free agency and via trade. Atlanta has to be confident in Spencer Strider, but look past him and the Braves' pitching staff quickly loses its luster. Max Fried is immensely talent, but he already has one foot out the door based on previous contract negotiations with Atlanta. Bryce Elder made the All-Star team, then completely fell apart down the stretch of last season. Charlie Morton is 40 years old. A.J. Smith-Shawver is 21 years old.

In short, the Braves need an experienced pitcher still in his prime. A second ace to anchor the rotation behind Strider and ensure that Atlanta has enough firepower on the mound once the playoffs roll around. Another NLDS exit won't cut it. The Braves were the best offense in baseball last season but couldn't get the job done on the big stage. The front office must make sure the pitching is on par with the hitting in 2024.

Here are the best options left.

Braves can swing blockbuster trade for Dylan Cease

The Chicago White Sox are expected to listen to trade offers for Dylan Cease. It was an inconsistent 2023 campaign for Cease, who posted a 7-9 record with a 4.58 ERA and 1.418 WHIP. On the other hand, he finished second in Cy Young voting the season prior, posting a 2.20 ERA and 1.109 WHIP. The upside is undeniable.

One has to imagine Cease would benefit from a change of scenery, and the robust pitching market could mean a pricey contract awaits him in the future. Cease is under contract through 2025 and at 27 years old, he's relatively young for his position.

Unfortunately, FanSided's Robert Murray pointed to Cease's contract as a potential hangup for the Braves. Anthoupoulos tends to target players he believes he can extend prior to free agency. Cease is a client of Scott Boras, whose M.O. is to incite a bidding war on the open market. Cease is from the Atlanta area and could be inclined to stick around because of that, but Boras and the Braves present a potential clash of styles.

Still, that shouldn't stop the Braves from considering a young arm with Cease's innate ability. Atlanta would have to unearth the necessary trade capital from their farm system, but Cease is a remarkable talent. He packs potent 95.6 MPH heat and encourages a high whiff rate (31.0 percent) by packaging his fastball with a dangerous slider. He would make a mighty fine middle starter behind Strider and Fried.