The Atlanta Braves got the ball rolling in the 2017 offseason by signing R.A. Dickey and Bartolo Colon. Neither move the needle that much, but when you look at where the Braves were this past season, these additions make a great deal of sense. They finished in last place last season with a 68-93 record. They only had three starters with 20 or more starts last season and only one had an ERA under 4.31.

Why the Braves signed R.A. Dickey? 

If Dickey has been anything he has been durable. He has had at least 26 starts in every season since 2010. 2016 saw him have the fewest innings in his career since that season and he still had 169 innings. Obviously, Dickey will serve as a bridge until some of the Braves younger pitchers are ready to take over. He won the NL Cy Young Award the last time he was in the National League.

Dickey is not that pitcher anymore. He hasn’t had an ERA under 3.71 since going to the American League. The Braves hope he at least gives them 180 innings and a 4.00 ERA in his return to the National League. If he is able to do that then the Braves could take a giant leap to contention in the NL East.

Why the Braves signed Bartolo Colon?

Colon has discovered the fountain of youth in New York. He was 44-34 in New York and his ERA dipped again last season to 3.43. For his career, Colon has a remarkable 233-162 record. If he holds on for another season or two he could have an outside chance at the Hall of Fame. Like Dickey, he has been very durable since making his comeback to the big leagues in 2011. Both have managed to throw 150 or more innings in each of the past six seasons.

Colon has been even better than Dickey recently and both players were signed to one year deals. The Braves are going into a new stadium and they want to be competitive. They added Matt Kemp last season to the lineup and they have some good young hitters they can build a lineup around. With a decent rotation they have a decent enough chance to be competitive in their new stadium.

What these deals mean for you

Bartolo Colon should definitely be a name that gets taken at some point on draft day. He has been good for at least 12 wins and an ERA around four over the past five seasons. He won’t strike out too many guys anymore, but he should be a solid bottom of the rotation fantasy starter. Dickey could end up being a fantasy guy with his return to the National League. That can often drop a pitcher’s ERA a half a run.