Inbox: Would the Braves trade Teheran?

Should we feel confident that the Braves really will not trade Julio Teheran? — Jason P., Charlotte, N.C.

Though the Braves might have evaluated potential returns for Teheran, they have now seemingly decided to pair him with Freddie Freeman as essentially the only two “untouchable” pieces on their current big league roster. You’ve heard them say, “We don’t want to trade (fill-in-the-blank),” only to see Craig Kimbrel and Evan Gattis go elsewhere in the past. But this time, they have reason to stick to their word.

Yeah, trading Teheran might have yielded a big return, but it would have also created a significant void in the rotation over the next few seasons.

The price of pitching is steep, and controlling Teheran at an average of $9.3 million per season through 2020 could easily prove to be a bargain. His presence next year would once again take some pressure off Mike Foltynewicz and Matt Wisler as they develop.

So as Atlanta looks toward 2017 with hope to be much more competitive than it’s been the past two seasons, it makes sense to keep Teheran and also possibly spend time this offseason finding an affordable veteran to add to the rotation on a short-term basis. This would help bridge the gap toward the arrivals of Sean Newcomb and Lucas Sims, both of whom could find firm roles in the rotation by 2018.

As for those fans clamoring to trade Teheran for a big bat, the Braves should be able to address their need for power when they enter this offseason with plenty of payroll flexibility. A specific number has not been provided, but even with a conservative estimate, they should have at least $60 million to spend.

Would the Braves trade Jeff Francoeur? — Denise M., Birmingham, Ala.

Because they like the leadership that Francoeur …

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