Braves Predicted to Sign Former Cy Young Winner

SI.com's Will Laws and Nick Selbe projected the Atlanta Braves to sign a former Cy Young winner in MLB free agency this offseason.

Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker / Mady Mertens-Imagn Images

Assuming left-handed starter Chris Sale wins the National League Cy Young award this offseason, the Atlanta Braves will have an award-winning pitcher on their staff in 2025. But the Braves should also have the opportunity to add an ex-Cy Young winner through free agency.

That's what Sports Illustrated's Will Laws and Nick Selbe argued this past week. On their MLB free agent rankings list, Laws and Selbe predicted the Braves to sign 29-year-old Shane Bieber.

"Bieber’s strikeout rate steadily declined from its absurd peak in the years following his 2020 AL Cy Young campaign before he underwent Tommy John surgery in April, two factors that may prevent him securing a lucrative longterm deal," wrote Laws and Selbe. "When he returns to the mound, though, it’d be surprising if he isn’t still capable of being a difference maker for a contender."

Bieber won the American League Cy Young award with the then-nicknamed Cleveland Indians during 2020. While that was the COVID-shortened season, Bieber went an impressive 8-1 with a 1.63 ERA and 0.866 WHIP in the small sample. He also struck out a league-high 122 batters in only 77.1 innings.

The 2020 campaign wasn't his only stellar season with Cleveland. Bieber went 15-8 with a 3.28 ERA and 259 strikeouts in 214.1 innings in 2019. He was also 7-4 with a 3.17 ERA and 134 strikeouts over 96.2 frames during 2021.

Bieber made the AL All-Star teams in both of those seasons (2019 and 2021).

He posted a 13-8 record with a 2.88 ERA while continuing to rack up nearly a strikeout per inning in 2022. But over the past two seasons, Bieber has dealt with multiple injuries.

During 2023, he made only 21 starts because of elbow inflammation. This past season, Bieber appeared to be back to his strikeout form, with 20 punchouts in his first 12 innings. But then the Guardians placed him on the injured list, and Bieber underwent Tommy John surgery.

The question for the Braves this offseason is whether they'd take a risk on Bieber coming off the major procedure. Atlanta already has ace Spencer Strider battling back from the same injury. It might not be the wisest move for the Braves to add another rotation arm with the same serious ailment.

Whether the Braves take the risk could depend on how big of a salary Bieber commands in free agency. My colleagues at SI seem to doubt whether he will be able to land an expensive long-term deal.

However, Laws and Selbe do consider Bieber one of the top free agency options available this winter. They ranked him as the No. 10 MLB free agent for this offseason.