There are some big name free agents who are on the market this offseason across the MLB, and among the biggest of the bunch is Philadelphia Phillies ace Aaron Nola. There's still a very good chance that Nola returns to Philadelphia in free agency, but there are a ton of teams that are showing interest in him, with one of the more legitimate suitors being the Phillies National League East rival in the Atlanta Braves.

The Braves have a lot of depth in their starting rotation, but they have identified top-end pitching talent as one of their biggest needs as they try to find a way to make it back to the World Series. Nola would certainly be a great fit for them, and while it's been noted that Atlanta rarely hands out massive deals for star players, they may be considering bucking that trend for Nola.

“One of the remarkable things about the Atlanta Braves is that none of their players signed long-term has a salary of more than $22 million. But for the right starting pitcher in free agency, the Braves are willing to go higher…Of the pitchers available, righty Aaron Nola is perhaps the most intriguing fit. Nola is close with Braves pitching coach Rick Kranitz, who was with the Philadelphia Phillies from 2016 to ‘18. And as a native of Baton Rouge, La., who attended LSU, he might prefer to sign with a team in the south.” – Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic

Should the Braves try to sign Aaron Nola?

Aaron Nola, Phillies

The Braves had a solid starting rotation last season, but the top-end talent has been hampered by injuries and inconsistencies. Spencer Strider is an ace, and so is Max Fried, although he only pitched in 14 games last season. Charlie Morton and Bryce Elder are solid middle of the rotation guys, but guys like Kyle Wright and Michael Soroka, who were both previously key pieces of the rotation, were awful last year.

Nola would come in and immediately make it so that Atlanta doesn't have to hope that Wright or Soroka will find their way. And, even better, Nola is proven stud in the postseason, which would be a huge help for a Braves squad that has gotten bounced in the NLDS in both of the past two years by Nola and the Phillies. There is going to be a lot of competition for Nola's services, but the Braves would have quite a pitch if they decided to go all-in for him.