We are a little over a month away from the MLB trade deadline, and if June has taught us anything, it’s that the Braves need a lot of help.
The rotation must be upgraded. It’s non-negotiable if Atlanta is serious about winning the division and competing for the World Series. However, the offense can no longer be overlooked as well. The Braves finished with the worst wRC+ in baseball during June — 35% below league average and a full 18 points behind second-to-last place.
Ronald Acuña Jr.‘s eventual return will help, but there are also a couple of spots in the lineup that must be addressed — namely DH and left field.
With the expanded playoffs, the number of clubs selling at the trade deadline has shrunk considerably, but a picture of the teams that should be willing to engage in trade conversations with the Braves in a few weeks is becoming much more clear.
Braves Most Likely Trade Partners
Colorado Rockies
The Rockies may not have the sexiest pieces to sell, but sitting in last place in the NL West, they’ll be open for business at this year’s trade deadline. Over the past several seasons, the Braves have swung a couple of net positive trades with Colorado, acquiring relievers Pierce Johnson and Tyler Kinley.
San Francisco Giants
The Giants may have just handed the Braves another series loss, but they are surely heading towards selling at the trade deadline. Unlike the Rockies, they have a lot of really intriguing pieces they could make available — highlighted by starting pitchers Robbie Ray and Logan Webb.
Cincinnati Reds
After a nice start to the season, the Reds have fallen to 39-43 and are 11 games out of first place in the NL Central. They shouldn’t be considered for-sure sellers at this point, but a major turnaround is needed over the next month to avoid waving the white flag.
Los Angeles Angels
The Angels have always been an unpredictable organization, and the recent firing of their GM only adds to the unknown. They should absolutely be looking to sell at the trade deadline, but somehow they are only 6.5 games out of first place in the AL West despite sporting a 36-49 record.
Detroit Tigers
The Tigers are a team everyone will be watching over the next month because of Tarik Skubal. The two-time AL Cy Young award winner is in the final year of his contract and most expect him to be moved; however, Detroit is still hanging around in the AL Central, currently trailing the White Sox and Guardians by 9.0 games. With a strong performance in July, the league’s most prominent trade target could end up staying with the Tigers through the end of the season.
Kansas City Royals
The Royals are in a similar spot as the Tigers. They’ve massively underachieved with a 35-50 record, which should result in a fire sale of sorts. Yet they are only one winning streak away from believing they have a chance at the postseason.
Boston Red Sox
Aside from the Tigers, the Red Sox are a team all Braves fans should have a close eye on leading up to the trade deadline because of what they have to offer. Jarren Duran could fix Atlanta’s problems in left field. Sonny Gray is an intriguing rotation option, and Boston also has several relievers that will interest the entire league. If they end up selling, they’d be a perfect match with the Braves.
Baltimore Orioles
The Orioles star-studded group of prospects hasn’t panned out the way anybody imagined, as they’ve quickly become bottom feeders in the AL East again. This could be the type of trade deadline where they send out a ton of names who were originally expected to become pillars of the franchise.
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(Photo by Trinity Machan/Icon Sportswire)