The Braves have a deeper rotation than most, led by Sale, Reynaldo López and Spencer Schwellenbach, a revelation last season as a rookie. But when they activate Strider from the IL, provided the others stay healthy, it has the makings of an elite unit topped by arguably the best 1-2 combination in baseball — Sale and Strider, in either order.

Speaking of Strider, he may be back sooner rather than later after making his Spring Training debut on March 17th, Strider threw nearly 3 shutout innings vs. the Boston Red Sox, Strider had 6 in strikeouts his first start since an elbow injury and surgery in early 2024.

The Atlanta Braves didn't make many major upgrades this winter, much to the chagrin of a fanbase hungry for their first World Series since 2021. Injuries to Spe