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3 Missing Pieces Atlanta Braves Could Still Land This Winter

Daniel KockJan 6, 2015

The Atlanta Braves' 2015 roster became more clear after the Justin Upton trade.

The outfield will consist of Evan Gattis, B.J. Upton and Nick Markakis. Christian Bethancourt will be the primary catcher.

The infield also looks set with Freddie Freeman, Andrelton Simmons, Chris Johnson and either Alberto Callaspo or Jace Peterson.

While the positional players look clear, the rotation still has some question marks.

The core will consist of Julio Teheran, Alex Wood, Mike Minor and Shelby Miller. The fifth spot is up for debate.

Currently, the two likely options are David Hale or recently acquired Manny Banuelos.

I'm not sold that the Braves are done and won't look to add one more veteran on a short-term deal as the No. 5 starter.

The Braves have some payroll flexibility to use on a pitcher after trading Upton, but it wouldn't hinder the long-term plans of the organization.

With that said, here's a look at three pitchers who the Braves could target in free agency.

1. Ryan Vogelsong

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With the San Francisco Giants signing Jake Peavy, it looks like Ryan Vogelsong's career in San Francisco is over.

The 37-year-old pitcher helped the Giants to two World Series titles during his four-year run with the team.

Vogelsong would fit in the mold of both Markakis and A.J. Pierzynski in being good locker room guys.

The right-hander would also be a good value for the Braves. He made just $5 million in 2014 with the Giants.

A one- or two-year deal for Vogelsong would be a valuable addition for a team looking for some consistency on the back end of the rotation.

In three of his four seasons with the Giants, Vogelsong compiled a sub-4.00 ERA while pitching over 175 innings.

He would be a nice addition for a team looking for a veteran starter to mix in with a young rotation.

2. Chris Young

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Chris Young has struggled with arm injuries throughout his career but has proven to be an effective pitcher when healthy.

The Braves have also bought low on other pitchers with arm troubles this offseason (Max Fried, Banuelos, Michael Kohn) in hopes they return to their form.

Young is coming off a rebound season in which he posted a 12-9 record with a 3.65 ERA for the Seattle Mariners.

The Mariners feature depth with their starting rotation and will likely let Young cash in on his season elsewhere.

The 35-year-old made just $1.25 million in 2014 but will command more this season.

Still, the Braves could offer Young a short-term deal and get value out of the fly-ball pitcher.

3. Kevin Correia

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Kevin Correia struggled mightily after the Los Angeles Dodgers acquired him from the Minnesota Twins midway through the 2014 season (8.03 ERA).

However, the 34-year-old has been steady throughout his entire career.

While the right-hander is not a flashy pitcher, you know what you can expect from him.

For his career, he has posted a 4.59 ERA, which matches up closely with his 4.52 career FIP.

Correia made $5.5 million in 2014 and should make close to that again in 2015.

While not flashy, Correia could be this year's version of Aaron Harang on a one-year deal.

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