3 top-level starters Braves can still add after the Chris Sale trade

The Atlanta Braves finally made a big splash over the weekend, trading Vaughn Grissom to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for Chris Sale. It certainly qualifies as a bold move. Grissom was Atlanta's top prospect and his bat should immediately translate for the Red Sox. Sale is 34 years old and he has only pitched 100 innings in one of the last three seasons.

Atlanta will bank on Sale being healthy — at least once the playoffs roll around. When he's on the mound, Sale remains effective. In 102.2 innings last season (20 starts), Sale went 6-5 with a 3.80 ERA and 1.130 WHIP. A seven-time All-Star, Sale brings quite the résumé to Atlanta's rotation. The gifted southpaw will join righties Spencer Strider and Charlie Morton atop what FanGraphs ranks as the MLB's No. 1 rotation (to go along with the No. 1 offense). The Braves also have another left-handed ace in Max Fried.

Pitching was the Braves' primary bugaboo in the playoffs. That was area of concern No. 1 when the offseason began. Sale helps, but the Braves are engaged in a furious arms race with the Los Angeles Dodgers in a highly competitive National League. In a stroke of excellent fortune engineered by Alex Anthopoulos, the Braves only owe $500,000 of Sale's remaining guaranteed salary. There is room to add one more top-shelf pitcher, should the Braves decide Bryce Elder in the No. 5 spot isn't good enough.

Here are a few names to keep an eye on.

3. Braves can add one more lefty by signing Shota Imanaga

The Braves can't focus all their efforts on beating one opponent, especially when that opponent hasn't been their downfall the last two years. That said, the Dodgers are the juggernaut to beat in the National League — a direct threat to Atlanta's regular season crown and postseason aspirations.

The Braves still have the firepower to match Los Angeles blow-for-blow. It would make for one heck of a series if we are lucky enough to get it. That said, the Braves could build their rotation with the Dodgers in mind. Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman, and Max Muncy are all left-handed hitters. The Dodgers have a lot of lefties in the middle of that lineup.

Strider is going to get postseason burn no matter what, but there's a world in which Atlanta has a lefty who matches up better in certain postseason scenarios than Charlie Morton, for example. Enter Shota Imanaga, the best Japanese pitcher left on the market after Yamamoto. He was the winning pitcher during Japan's WBC championship game. Known for gnarly movement, tight location control, and slippery fastballs, Imanaga should be ready to contribute from day one in the MLB. He would allow the Braves to comfortably demote or trade Bryce Elder, who struggled immensely after the All-Star break in 2023.

There is uncertainty about how successful Imanaga will be — he's not a clear No. 1 ace like Yamamoto — but the Braves can relieve any pressure on him. Imanaga would be surrounded by several perennial All-Star candidates. He wouldn't have to carry the primary burden for Atlanta's rotation, but he would be immediately situated to win games and potentially compete for a World Series title. Having the league's No. 1 offense behind you as a pitcher is extremely valuable.