Braves could use the “Reynaldo Lopez method” again to get another starter bargain

The Atlanta Braves surprised a lot of people last offseason when they signed Reynaldo Lopez to a three-year, $30 million contract. He was expected to be a great option for Atlanta’s bullpen. However, they dropped the bombshell that Lopez would be named a starter in 2024, which certainly raised a lot of eyebrows.

This was surprising since Reynaldo hasn’t been a starting pitcher for the White Sox for a full season since 2019. For whatever reason, the Braves saw potential in Lopez and he proved them right GIGANTIC Away.

Lopez gave Atlanta one of the best seasons of his career. He went 8-5 with a 1.99 ERA over 135.2 innings. Reynaldo hit 148 while walking 42, and that performance even earned him a NL Cy Young vote.

That success could lead the Braves to try to repeat that process with some backup players being considered for starting positions in 2025.

Braves could try the Reynaldo Lopez method on two free-agent relievers to fill starting pitching needs

Converting relievers into starters has become a trend in Major League Baseball. There’s a good reason for this, as teams have seen successful transitions from Seth Lugo, Jordan Hicks, Reynaldo Lopez, Garrett Crochet and others.

Apparently teams are considering this for a few free agent signings this offseason. Former Yankee closer Clay Holmes is viewed as a potential starter for many teams. He last started in 2018 when he was in the Pirates organization.

Holmes has a career 3.52 ERA as a high-leverage reliever and is a two-time All-Star. Teams are interested in seeing him as a starter because of his pitch mix of sinker, slider and sweeper. Holmes has also appeared in at least 60 innings over the last four seasons, but never more than 70. That could mean this plan doesn’t work at all, but in a worst-case scenario, teams will end up with a reliable backup.

Former Phillies reliever Jeff Hoffman has also drawn interest in the role. After a great performance in 2023-24 with a 2.28 ERA over 118.2 innings and a 33.4% strikeout rate, he has emerged as one of the most dominant relievers in baseball. 2024 was impressive for him with a 2.17 ERA over 66.1 innings with 16 BB and 89 K.

The former top draft pick was a starter for East Carolina and began his professional career in that role. His last starting experience was with the Reds in 2021 until they named him a full-time reliever.
Hoffman’s four-pitch mix also supports his case for a possible starting role. He uses a four-seamer, a slider, a splitter and a sinker. The 32-year-old has played 361 professional games, 145 of which were in the starting line-up.

Hoffman has better arguments for starting than Holmes. So if the Braves really thought about it, he would be my pick. Regardless of what happens, both pitchers at least give Atlanta a chance at great backend bullpen options with the potential for the same success as Reynaldo Lopez in 2024.

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