When discussing this year’s Braves team, it’s impossible not to think back to 2021. Atlanta is struggling, sitting well back of the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East. Nothing seems to be going right, and now they’ve lost Ronald Acuña Jr. for the season with a torn ACL. The mountain appears too great to overcome, but the last time this happened? The Braves made a slew of trades that propelled them to the World Series.
One of which was completed with the Miami Marlins, who sent Adam Duvall to the Braves in exchange for catcher Alex Jackson. The deal worked out to perfection for Atlanta, as Jackson has rarely seen action in the majors while Duvall helped propel the Braves to their fourth consecutive NL East title and first World Series since 1995.
Could history repeat itself in 2024? The Braves will certainly be buying ahead of the trade deadline, and The Fish, who have a number of pieces that could interest Atlanta, will be selling.
This continues a series where I break down every possible trade candidate for the Atlanta Braves as we approach the trade deadline, beginning with teams that have no choice but to sell. If you missed any of the previous parts of this series, follow the links below.
- Braves trade targets from Athletics
- Braves trade targets from Angels
- Braves trade targets from Rockies
- Braves trade targets from White Sox
- Braves trade targets from Mets
Jesus Luzardo
Whether it comes to fruition or not, Jesus Luzardo is the starting pitcher most expect the Marlins to move at this year’s trade deadline. His surface level numbers this season are not great — 3-5 with a 5.11 ERA — but Luzardo’s stuff plays and he comes with a track record of success. He should fetch quite the haul if the Marlins decide to trade him due to the fact that he’s under team control through the 2026 season.
For the Braves, Luzardo has to be particularly attractive because of that team control. Their rotation has been lights out, but Max Fried‘s future in Atlanta is cloudy at best. Most expect him to go elsewhere in free agency, leaving a massive hole at the front of the rotation. Jesus Luzardo would go a long way in filling that.
Jazz Chisholm Jr.
The Marlins would be foolish to trade Jazz Chisholm Jr. to the Braves of all teams, but this isn’t an organization with a track record of making smart decisions, and there are multiple examples of them dealing within the division. A few years back, they traded Adam Duvall to the Braves, who helped Atlanta to a World Series. They also completed a much bigger deal with the Phillies, sending J.T. Realmuto to Philadelphia.
The Braves have a desperate need for outfield help, and Chisholm might be the best name available at the trade deadline. It won’t be cheap, considering he’s also under contract through 2026, but something tells me we could see the best version of Jazz Chisholm Jr. under the bright lights of Truist Park in a Braves uniform.
Tanner Scott
Relief help is probably at the bottom of the Braves list of needs heading into the trade deadline, but building a dominant bullpen for October is never a bad idea. Tanner Scott is up there with the best relievers in baseball, owning a 1.30 ERA over 27.2 innings this season. He’s only under contract for this year, but he will be one of the most sought after bullpen pieces moved at the trade deadline and would give the Braves the best relief core in baseball.
Bryan De La Cruz
Bryan De La Cruz is no Jazz Chisholm Jr. but he’s another outfielder the Marlins could move at the trade deadline and is much better than what the Braves currently have. He’s also under contract through 2027, so he would add some stability in Atlanta’s outfield until Ronald Acuña Jr. makes a full recovery.
—
Photo: Peter Joneleit/Icon Sportswire
You must log in to post a comment.