Over at ESPN, Jeff Passan and Buster Olney have the latest insight as the trade deadline approaches, and there are a couple of intriguing themes that will very much affect the Atlanta Braves.
On the positive side, even in a seller’s market, the starting pitching market is expected to be robust, with both Olney and Passan calling it the strongest position group that will be available. But on the flip side, finding a right-handed power-hitting outfielder may prove much more difficult.
“The starting pitchers, undoubtedly. So many clubs are looking for a right-handed hitter, with very few apparent options, but the teams most aggressively in need of a starting pitcher — we’re looking at you, Cubs, Phillies and Braves — should have a lot of good options,” Olney writes. “Among the declared unloaders, there are Freddy Peralta, Clay Holmes and Robbie Ray, with the possibility that many others join them.”
Given the current construction of the Braves roster, finding a frontline starter and — at the very least — a right-handed platoon option to pair with Mike Yastrzemski in left field feel like absolute musts. However, Alex Anthopoulos has said the market often dictates where you can actually improve, which could force Atlanta to upgrade positions of strength rather than focusing solely on their weakest links.
“We can add in all areas, right,” Anthopoulos said to Jim Bowden on MLB Network Radio. “We’re definitely not a complete team. I think we’ve got the upside to be a complete team, but we can add rotation, bullpen, bats. And as much as we all like to say, ‘I need to get this, I need to get that,’ as you know very well Jim (Bowden) from all the trade deadlines you’ve been involved in, sometimes you have to take what ends up being available.”
Anthopoulos added that there’s more than one way to skin a cat when piecing together a pitching staff that can get 27 outs come the postseason. These days, the bullpen often bears the brunt of that burden, and Passan believes several elite relievers will be on the move in the coming days.
“While the Red Sox have played into keeping Aroldis Chapman, and Josh Hader’s no-trade clause complicates any deal with him, the Mets have four very good relievers available (Luke Weaver, A.J. Minter, Brooks Raley, Huascar Brazoban) and the Giants can go lefty (Erik Miller, Sam Hentges) or righty (JT Brubaker, Caleb Kilian),” Passan writes. “If the Padres enter the fray, Miller and Adrian Morejon might be the best two available. And there are plenty of under-the-radar arms (Ryan Zeferjahn, Elvis Alvarado, Brock Burke, Brennan Bernardino) capable of pitching in high-leverage situations for playoff teams.”
A lot could be determined over the next 10 days. If teams like the Padres and Astros continue to slide leading into the deadline, they have a ton of talent they could unload that would intrigue the Braves.
Detroit is another team everyone will be watching. Is their recent run of better baseball actually enough to convince them to hold on to Tarik Skubal, even knowing he’ll walk in free agency for nothing?
The Red Sox look like for-sure buyers at this point, firmly in playoff contention and playing better than anyone in the league. That’s a blow to a lot of competitive teams, but especially the Braves — Boston has something of high quality to offer at every one of Atlanta’s positions of need.
Other fringe teams include the Twins, Nationals, and Blue Jays — all of whom have a very intriguing mix of players that could be on the move before the August 3rd deadline.
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