Braves have officially fixed their biggest 2023 deficiency

It may have cost them the lovable Vaughn Grissom, but Braves Country should be ecstatic about having Chris Sale join the Atlanta Braves' starting rotation. Atlanta acquired Sale in a deal with the Boston Red Sox for Grissom. There was also an exchange of cash involved, but the Braves added an arm to a rotation in need of one for a very popular middle infielder, but with major defensive liabilities.

According to Fangraphs, the No. 1-ranked Braves went from having the No. 3 starting rotation in baseball to the No. 1 with the addition of Sale. Atlanta already had the league's best offense on paper, as well as the best overall team. However, it was rotational issues that led to their downfall in back-to-back postseasons to the Philadelphia Phillies. Adding a veteran talent like Sale can be a huge boost.

Here is a look at what the Atlanta starting rotation could look like heading into Opening Day 2024.

1. RHP Spencer Strider
2. LHP Max Fried
3. RHP Charlie Morton
4. LHP Chris Sale
5. RHP Bryce Elder

We are talking about a rotation featuring All-Stars and World Series Champions throughout it.

Of course, the Braves need to stay healthy, but all five of these guys have shown they can carry the rotation at times. From youngsters like Bryce Elder and Spencer Strider, to veterans like Sale and Max Fried, to ageless wonders like Charlie Morton, it is good to be a starting pitcher in Atlanta once again.

Atlanta Braves improved its already strong rotation after Chris Sale trade

Throughout the Braves' return to prominence under skipper Brian Snitker and general manager Alex Anthopoulos, the starting rotation has always been what has lagged behind. The offense has been otherworldly for the better part of a decade now. At times, the bullpen has been among the very best, if not the best, in all of baseball. The starting rotation, well, it has been good, but never an elite group.

Fried has been with the team the longest. When healthy, he is among the best left-handers in the game today. But when he is out, the Braves are a far worse operation every fifth day. Morton has been with the team since 2021. Although he is ageless, he is a tad injury-prone, too. He will eat innings, but will also give up the big fly. So will fireballer Strider, as will first-half hero Elder after his breakout year.

In short, the Braves have never had tremendous depth beyond the No. 3 spot in the rotation. When the offense is cooking and the bullpen is lights-out, it has been covered up. However, when the bats cool off and the bullpen starts to be unreliable, the back-end of the rotation can be exposed. Furthermore, it puts an absurd amount of pressure on the front-half of the rotation to be excellent.

By trading for Sale, the Braves no longer seem to have an Achilles' heel. They can win it all this fall.