3 stars Atlanta Braves can acquire this offseason not named Shohei Ohtani

2. Aaron Nola

Now we'll focus on Nola.

The veteran right-hander may ultimately stay with the Phillies rather than sign with the Braves, but that doesn't mean the Braves aren't going to pursue him.

Nola also possesses upside, having averaged 9.4 strikeouts per nine innings. The main issue he ran into this year was the home run ball, which inflated his ERA to 4.46. However, he returned to his ace form in the postseason and helped guide the Phillies back to the NLCS, where they would fall short against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Nola has proven himself to be a big-game pitcher and can come through in key spots. It's also important to note that Ohtani will not be able to pitch in 2024, meaning that the Braves would only get the offensive side of him.

They need starting pitching to bolster their chances of winning the NL East again. Adding Nola would also be a good way to stick it to the Phillies and possibly regain the upper hand in their heated NL East rivalry.

Other teams, such as the St. Louis Cardinals, are also showing early interest in Nola, per Morosi.