3 Braves backup plans if Tyler Glasnow trade is off the board

2. Braves can trade for Guardians' former Cy Young winner Shane Bieber

Shane Bieber is another exceedingly feasible trade candidate as the Cleveland Guardians get ahead of what feels like an inevitable departure next offseason. The 28-year-old has spent his entire career in Cleveland to date, with two All-Star berths and the 2020 Cy Young award on his résumé. That was the COVID season, but a 1.63 ERA will do the trick in any context.

Bieber wasn't up to his usual standard in 2023, but his 3.80 ERA and 1.234 WHIP — both career-worst marks since his rookie season — hardly qualify as bad. Even Bieber in first gear is a handful for opposing batters. He went 6-6 in 21 starts for the 76-win Guardians, with a 47.5 percent ground-ball rate (75th percentile) indicative of his ability to keep hits inside the park.

There were several red flags on Bieber's overall stat profile last season. His 47.8 percent hard-hit rate landed in the MLB's second percentile. He kept hits grounded, but frequently invited solid contact and fell near the bottom of the league in expected batting average (.284 — eighth percentile).

Bieber's numbers have been trending in the wrong direction since his Cy Young campaign, but he's still smack in the middle of his prime with ample success on his résumé. The Braves can comfort him with an explosive offense while situating Bieber as a second or third starter, rather than leaning on him as their keystone.