3 Pitchers the Braves Should Sign After Officially Losing Dallas Keuchel

The Atlanta Braves had a golden opportunity to retain one of the best free agent starters on the market, but they blew it when lefty starter Dallas Keuchel signed a three-year contract with the Chicago White Sox. With the pitching market drying up after the biggest names signed their contracts, it's slim pickings for a Braves team looking to bolster their rotation. However, there are several avenues this team could go down if they still intend on upgrading a rotation decimated by free agency (goodbye, Julio Teheran, too).

3. Homer Bailey

Oakland Athletics pitcher Homer Bailey / Victor Decolongon/Getty Images

For much of the four seasons prior to 2019, Bailey was either injured or incredibly ineffective when on the mound. However, the former Cincinnati Red looked rejuvenated with both the Kansas City Royals and Oakland Athletics, posting a 4.57 ERA over 30 starts last year. He isn't going to break the bank, but he will eat up innings and give the likes of Max Fried and the other greenhorns in that rotation a dependable veteran arm to learn from.

2. Andrew Cashner

Boston Red Sox pitcher Andrew Cashner / Adam Glanzman/Getty Images

Cashner was one of the few bright spots on a lousy Baltimore Orioles pitching staff, as he posted a 3.83 ERA in 17 starts before he was traded to the Boston Red Sox and subsequently forgot how to throw strikes. Cashner's value is at nearly an all-time low after his 6.20 ERA with the Red Sox. He would be a perfect buy-low candidiate for the Braves, as he still has his fastball velocity and strikeout stuff. If they can re-center him and get him back to his Baltimore form, he could be a steal for the Braves.

1. Hyun-Jin Ryu

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Hyun-Jin Ryu / Will Newton/Getty Images

Ryu is the biggest free agent pitcher left on the market, and the Braves should be on the line with his agent as we speak. Ryu finished second in Cy Young voting last year when he posted an MLB-best 2.32 ERA, and he kept that ERA under 2 for a majority of the season. Ryu will be 33 once the season rolls around, which could make throwing a long-term contract at the South Korean star a risky proposition. If Atlanta were to bring him in, however, he could be a game-changing weapon at the top of their rotation.