Braves hurler’s ‘emergence’ could lessen sting of losing ace to free agency

The Atlanta Braves are in danger of losing two of their starting pitchers this offseason.

Ace Max Fried and Charlie Morton are both upcoming free agents, and there’s no guarantee that Atlanta will be able to retain either arm, as other suitors will certainly come calling.

Luckily for the Braves, they’ve witnessed the rise of a young starting pitcher this year who could grow into a No. 2 man for Atlanta alongside Cy Young favorite Chris Sale. Rookie Spencer Schwellenbach has delivered plenty of quality outings this season, suggesting that his potential at the Major League level is quite promising.

On Thursday, Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter released a piece entitled, “Austin Wells, Jackson Chourio and Top 25 MLB Rookies of 2024”, and ranked Schwellenbach at No. 19 while commenting on his emergence.

“The No. 5 spot in the Atlanta rotation was a revolving door until Schwellenbach made his MLB debut on May 29, and he has settled in nicely as the season has progressed,” Reuter said.

“Since the start of July, he has a 2.60 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 70 strikeouts in 55.1 innings with seven quality starts in nine outings. The 24-year-old's emergence has given the team a rotation building block heading into an offseason where Max Fried and Charlie Morton are both free agents.”

Schwellenbach’s 2024 might have more highs to come yet, as he figures to be an X-Factor for Atlanta in its pursuit of a deep playoff run.

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