In a bold move signaling their championship intentions, the Braves have added battle-tested arm Carlos Carrasco to bolster their starting rotation for 2026.
ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves have made their first significant move to rebuild their pitching staff, signing 16-year veteran starter Carlos “Cookie” Carrasco in a deal that “bolsters the rotation,” according to sources.
The signing is being called a “strategic move” by analysts, aimed at adding a battle-tested, durable arm with proven postseason experience to a starting staff that was ravaged by injuries and inconsistency in 2025.
Carrasco, 38, brings 112 career wins and a “winning mentality” to the clubhouse. While he does not have a World Series ring, he was a key piece of the 2016 Cleveland team that reached the World Series, giving him the “World Series pedigree” and high-stakes experience the Braves front office covets.
A “Strategic Move” to Stabilize the Rotation
After a 2025 season that saw Atlanta’s pitching depth collapse, the organization’s top priority is adding reliable innings-eaters. Carrasco, who was briefly with the Braves in 2025, is a consummate professional known for his leadership and durability.
The move provides new manager Walt Weiss with a reliable, back-of-the-rotation veteran to slot in alongside aces like Chris Sale and (a hopefully healthy) Spencer Strider.
Fans, who were desperate for rotation help, are already calling the addition of the veteran “the missing piece” needed for another deep World Series push in Atlanta.
