A winter of indecision has come back to haunt Alex Anthopoulos, as a sudden rash of injuries has left the Atlanta Braves’ season hanging in the balance before it even begins.

The Atlanta Braves and Alex Anthopoulos spent most of the offseason trying to decide on a “playoff starter” to add to the rotation. And now, as recent developments sidelined the starters they banked on, Anthopoulos is under fire for not acting sooner.

Elbow cleanup surgery hit the Braves camp as Spring Training started.

Spencer Schwellenbach and Hurston Waldrep both underwent surgeries that would cost them several months to recover. Now, insider Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic evaluated how Anthopoulos’ delay in signing an additional starter might put the Braves entire 2026 campaign in danger.

“For those keeping score, the Braves are operating at a net negative, down two potential starters when they already were trying to add one,” wrote Rosenthal.

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With both Schwellenbach and Waldrep on the injured list, the responsibility of the Braves’ rotation depends on LHP Chris Sale and right-handers Spencer Strider, Grant Holmes, and Reynaldo López. However, Rosenthal is doubtful about their durability.

Sale, 37, agreed to a one-year, $27 million deal with the Braves. As desirable as his high-quality performance when healthy makes him, his injury history makes him less reliable. His recent injury was a fractured left ribcage in June 2025 when he made a diving play. In the 21 games he pitched last season, Sale logged a 2.58 ERA with a 7-5 record.

Holmes is returning to the Braves camp from a partial UCL tear. Plus, right shoulder issues have plagued López for some time. Strider’s fastball velocity dipped last season after returning from Tommy John surgery and a right hamstring strain.

Looking at their injury histories, the remaining big four pitchers do not look as reliable as needed at this point. And Anthopoulos desperately needs one backup!

This is where rotation depth comes into play. The Braves’ rotation is now one injury away from risking their entire season.

As Rosenthal had pointed out, “One more injury, and Anthopoulos indeed will be dealing with a five-alarm fire, coming off a 76-86 conflagration that resulted in the Braves’ first failure to make the postseason in his eight years running the club.”

The 2026 season would see the Braves being led by their new manager, Walt Weiss.

While Atlanta finished fourth in the NL East in, Fangraphs’ predictions land in the team’s favor. They projected the Braves can win more games than every other team except for the LA Dodgers.

Anthopoulos would hopefully come to a decision soon enough to stabilize their rotation with starters still available in free agency.

Potential solutions to the Braves’ problem

Zach Litell and Lucas Giolito are top starting pitchers in free agency. And their addition could end the Braves’ rotation problems.

At 31, Giolito started 26 games for the Boston Red Sox last year. He recorded an ERA of 3.41 with 121 strikeouts across 145 innings he pitched. But he was unable to pitch during the postseason due to an elbow injury and ultimately became a free agent.

On the other hand, Litell transitioned from a reliever to a starter in 2023 during his stint with the Tampa Bay Rays.

He continued his role as a starter with the Cincinnati Reds in 2025. Litell proved to be a reliable arm in his 32 starts, pitching 186.2 innings with a 3.81 ERA and 130 strikeouts. Moreover, at 30 years old, his age gives him the upper hand over mid-30s veterans who would eventually struggle to deliver consistent results.

But per Ken Rosenthal on Foul Territory, despite these injuries, the Braves may not sign Litell, Giolito, or any other starter. The reason?

They don’t want to risk losing Bryce Elder and Joey Wentz, who are both out of options. However, it is a questionable move considering Elder and Wentz have recorded a 5.30 ERA and a 5.60 ERA in 2025, respectively.