Braves rumors: 3 Max Fried replacements who are already on the roster

2. Bryce Elder was the Braves' second All-Star pitcher last season

Few facts sum up the Braves' 2023 dominance better than the fact that Bryce Elder made the All-Star team as a rookie. The 24-year-old finished the season with a respectable 12-4 record in 31 starts, posting a 3.81 ERA and 1.277 WHIP with 128 strikeouts in 174.2 innings pitched.

Unfortunately, it was a tale of two halves for Elder. He came out of the gates strong before hitting a major wall after the All-Star break. So bad was Elder's second half that Atlanta considered going with rookie A.J. Smith-Shawver or a bullpen opener when the Braves faced the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 3 of the NLDS. Elder ultimately got the nod, but it was a disaster. He gave up five hits and six earned runs in 2.2 innings.

Of course, it's important to maintain perspective. Few rookie pitchers are as successful overall as Elder was. He put together a legitimately dominant stretch before the All-Star break. He was Atlanta's saving grace in a season filled with injuries to the pitching staff. He will enter the 2024 season as the Braves' fifth starter. There's every reason to believe Elder can rebound and revive the perception around his development. He's ahead of the curve, despite an early taste of bitter postseason defeat. News flash: most 24-year-olds don't thrive on that stage, especially not against that Phillies lineup.

There are long-term concerns, of course. Elder relies primarily on control. When he loses confidence, it's a problem. He doesn't have the power behind his fastball (89.9 MPH) to force a ton of swings and misses. Edler posted a promising 50.6 percent groundball rate, in the 84th percentile, but he needs to avoid the meltdowns and the lapses in concentration.