Wainwright to the Braves: Haven’t we seen this before?

Published 11:08 am Wednesday, November 4, 2020

The Atlanta Braves starting rotation has the pieces in place to be one of, if not, the top in Major League Baseball heading into next season. With the return of Mike Soroka from a torn Achilles, along with Max Fried and Ian Anderson, the Braves have a  top 1-2-3 in the rotation that I would put up against any in the Big Leagues.

If Kyle Wright and Bryse Wilson can replicate the top of performances they delivered down the stretch and in the playoffs (game 3 against the Dodger notwithstanding for Wright), then the Braves’ starting 5 could be very well be set. But they are still wild cards in my estimation, not really knowing what you’re going to get from them over the course of a 162-game season.

So, wouldn’t it be nice if the Braves could land a veteran pitcher in free agency or via trade to provide the Braves’ youngsters a mentor in the clubhouse and the team experience in the playoffs, if and when the Braves make it next year. That could be just as important as the Braves finding a new bat in the lineup to replace Marcell Ozuna, if and when he leaves to reap the rewards of a new contract following his breakout performance in 2020.

Cole Hamels was supposed to be that type of pitcher last year but a shoulder injury derailed his season, and the Braves had to stick with their youngsters going into the playoffs.

One name the Braves have already been rumored to be interested in this year is St. Louis Cardinals starter Adam Wainwright. Yes, that same Wainwright who was a one-time Brave before being traded to the Cardinals, in a multi-player deal that sent former South Georgia standout J.D. Drew to the Braves in 2003. It’s fair to say the Cardinals bested former Braves general manager and Hall of Famer John Schuerholz in the deal.

Wainwright has posted 167 wins, a 3.38 ERA, 326 starts in 15 seasons along with 1,830 strikeouts. He also finished runner-up for the Cy Young Award twice, was a three-time All-Star and a key member of the Cardinals’ World Series champion team in 2006. Drew played for the Braves one season in 2004.

His acquisition would anchor the Braves’ starting rotation and should make for a fun reunion with his hometown team. After all, a return to the Braves organization makes sense for the Brunswick native since the Braves are managed by Brian Snitker, who managed Wainwright in Double-A.

A Wainwright signing would not necessarily catapult the Braves past the Dodgers for National League supremacy but it should better prepare them for a rematch if the two teams square off again in next year’s postseason.