Does López hold the key to Braves' pitching plans?

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ATLANTA -- Any conversation regarding what the Braves should do to improve their pitching staff should begin with the understanding of Reynaldo López’s projected role for the 2026 season.

López wants to remain in the starting rotation, and Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos has said there haven’t been any discussions about moving the 2024 All-Star hurler to the bullpen.

Anthopoulos has also said that adding to the rotation is on Atlanta's “front burner” this winter.

So here’s a look at the projected rotation with López:

LHP Chris Sale, RHP Spencer Strider, RHP Spencer Schwellenbach, López and a possible offseason addition.

No, I didn’t forget Hurston Waldrep. Just throwing out what the list might look like with both López and a possible addition.

Waldrep's 2025 workload (148 innings) sets him up for the potential to make 30-plus starts at the big league level in '26, but there’s reason to create some insurance as he preps for what would be his first full big league season.

There’s also reason for the Braves to protect Schwellenbach, who totaled 110 innings before fracturing his right elbow in what was going to be his first full season at the MLB level. And there’s uncertainty surrounding López, whose late-season 2024 injury woes lingered into '25, during which he made one start before having his right shoulder surgically cleaned.

Is it more taxing for a pitcher to complete five-plus innings twice every 12 days or to possibly make six to eight one-inning appearances every two weeks? This is an argument that we’ve had going back to when John Smoltz went to the bullpen and then returned to the rotation a few years later.

You’ll likely hear differing opinions when asking this question, but one thing is clear: The Braves need to maximize what is left of the restructured three-year, $30 million deal López received last winter.

If López gets back to where he was before injuries limited him to five healthy starts over the final two months of the 2024 season, he would be a bargain starter at $14 million this year and $8 million in 2027.

López could also be a bargain if he stays healthy while working out of the bullpen the next two seasons.

Though no teams were able to entice the Braves to trade Raisel Iglesias before the July 31 Trade Deadline, he will draw strong attention on the free-agent market. Even if Edwin Díaz and Robert Suarez both opt out as expected, Iglesias would arguably be the third-best reliever available on the FA market this winter.

Yeah, Iglesias will turn 36 in January. But has the 1.25 ERA he posted over his final 45 appearances this season positioned him to continue making $16 million per season over the next couple of years?

Should the Braves re-sign Iglesias and pair him with Joe Jiménez, Tyler Kinley and Pierce Johnson at the back of the 'pen?

Or would it make more sense to pair López with these three veteran relievers and decide which one fits best as the closer?

Coming off a year when payroll was lower than it had been since 2022, fans certainly don’t want to hear that this decision could come down to finances. There’s certainly reason to argue that Atlanta should try to re-sign Iglesias and add a reliable starter.

The odds of this happening will certainly be influenced by Ha-Seong Kim’s pending decision. Kim has until five days after the World Series concludes to decide whether to exercise his $16 million option for 2026.

If Kim and his agent Scott Boras decline the option, the Braves would then enter a bidding war on the free-agent market. That’s not necessarily a good thing, considering the Yankees will be looking for a shortstop.

If Kim’s cost becomes too significant, Atlanta could look elsewhere for a shortstop or roll the dice on Nick Allen again. That’s actually not fair, because you know you’re getting Gold Glove-caliber defense from Allen. The gamble would be on Michael Harris II, Austin Riley and Sean Murphy bouncing back to a level that overcomes Allen’s offensive shortcomings.

Kim’s decision could influence the caliber of pitchers the Braves acquire this winter. But coming off this past season, it seems safe to assume both the rotation and bullpen will be addressed, regardless of López’s projected role.