Braves Sonny Gray backup plan would bring the house down in Atlanta

If we've learned anything over the course of Alex Anthopoulos's tenure in Atlanta, it's that you can never count the Braves out. This is especially true as it pertains to surprising trades, which AA has a habit of making around this time of year.

While Sonny Gray signing with the St. Louis Cardinals is disappointing, as the Braves had the 34-year-old on their radar, Anthopoulos could bring the house down should his rumored backup plan come through.

The Braves have already dealt once this offseason with the Chicago White Sox -- they traded for relief pitcher Aaron Bummer, sending Michael Soroka, Jared Shuster and more to the south side. Could another move be on the horizon?

MLB Rumors: Braves are reportedly interested in White Sox ace Dylan Cease

Per Bob Nightengale of USA Today, you can add the Braves to the list of teams interested in Dylan Cease.

Unfortunately for Atlanta, they will face plenty of competition for Cease, who is coming off one of his worst years as a professional. Cease is just two years removed a second-place AL Cy Young finish. In 2022, he had a 2.20 ERA paired with 227 strikeouts, a career high.

Cease would fit in rather seamlessly with the Braves rotation, likely slotting in behind Spencer Strider. Max Fried and Charlie Morton are dependable workhorses, as well.

Much of Anthopoulos's urgency to acquire a high-end starting pitcher this offseason is due to the likelihood that the Braves lose both Charlie Morton and Max Fried next winter. Fried will be a free agent, and extension talks have not gone according to plan thus far, despite an injury suffered by Fried this season which kept him out several months. Morton is on the wrong side of 40 and just opted into the final year of his contract, but any commitment beyond that is anyone's guess.

Could Cease be the answer Anthopoulos is looking for?