Despite the emergence of Alex Verdugo, who has proven to be a godsend for the Braves early this season, Alex Anthopoulos still needs to consider adding another outfielder ahead of the trade deadline, specifically a right-handed bat. Jurickson Profar will return from his PED suspension around the All-Star break; however, he is not eligible to participate in the postseason.
This continues a series of way-too-early trade targets for the Braves, highlighting a few names that will surely be on the block in a few months. If you missed the first part of this series, follow the link below.
Braves Outfield Trade Targets
Luis Robert Jr., Chicago White Sox
Bad teams stay bad for a reason, and it starts at the top. The White Sox should have dealt Luis Robert Jr. a couple of years ago, and the return might have completely changed the trajectory of their franchise. He’s struggled through injuries throughout his career, playing more than 100 games just once, and those injuries now appear to be affecting his play on the field. It’s early, but he’s hitting just .152 this season after hitting .224 in 2024. Plus, his $20 million club options in 2026 and 2027 no longer look like much of a bargain. However, because of his upside, Robert will still have a pretty robust market when the trade deadline arrives, and the Braves could be involved.
Tommy Pham, Pittsburgh Pirates
If the Braves were going to trade for Tommy Pham, it probably would have happened already. They’ve been trying to figure out the outfield in some form or fashion over the last three years at the trade deadline, and Pham has been available, getting dealt at the deadline in each of the last three seasons. However, the Braves have yet to show interest. Perhaps that changes this year, as Pham will almost certainly be dealt again if he rebounds at all from a slow start to the season.
Taylor Ward, Los Angeles Angels
After a hot start, the Angels once again look like one of MLB’s worst clubs. They should be selling at the trade deadline; however, you never really know what the Angels are going to do. Taylor Ward has seemingly been on the trade block for years, yet Los Angeles has continued to hang onto him. With just one more year of team control remaining after this season, perhaps that changes. Ward is struggling to begin the 2025 campaign, hitting just .189, but he does already have six homers after recording 25 last season. With a .751 career OPS, he’d be a high quality right-handed bat to add to the Braves outfield mix.
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Photographer: John Cordes/Icon Sportswire
