We are right in the middle of the All-Star festivities, and in just over a couple of weeks, the trade deadline will arrive. Between now and then, there will be no shortage of rumors, and the Braves are expected to be right in the middle of all of it.

Alex Anthopoulos is known for being one of the most aggressive general managers in the sport. Even if there isn’t an apparent need, he’s always looking to upgrade the roster now and in the future. Look no further than his acquisition of Sean Murphy a couple of offseasons ago. The Braves already had not one but two All-Star catchers on the roster, and Anthopoulos still swung a blockbuster trade with the Oakland Athletics for Sean Murphy. He is not afraid to get creative; in fact, he seems to relish the opportunity. With four clear places the Braves could potentially upgrade, don’t be surprised if Anthopoulos takes the road less traveled to get this team in a position to hoist the Commissioner’s Trophy again in 2024.

Bullpen

Of all the places the Braves could potentially upgrade at the trade deadline, the relief core probably doesn’t need to be touched. This group has been so dominant over the first half of the season that they still have rookie Daysbel Hernandez waiting in the wings down in Gwinnett, who has tossed 9.2 scoreless innings for the Braves with an 11.2 K/9, 0.931 WHIP, and 1.61 FIP. Not only that but pretty much the entire bullpen is also signed through next year as well. However, relievers can oftentimes be had for pennies ahead of the trade deadline, so there could potentially be a move out there that tickles the peach of Anthopoulos.

Rotation

As good as the bullpen has been this year, the Braves rotation has been even better. For the first time since 1997, Atlanta sent three starting pitchers to the All-Star Game. Max Fried has been the consistent ace of the Braves for going on five years, while Chris Sale and Reynaldo Lopez have a case to #1 and #2 in the NL Cy Young race. Beyond that, Spencer Schwellebach is beginning to come into his own, and that’s not even mentioning Charlie Morton, who has somewhat become an afterthought. The Braves also have some depth behind those five in Bryce Elder, as well as Ian Anderson and AJ Smith-Shawver, who are on their way back from injuries.

Still, one injury over the second half of the season can change the entire trajectory of the Braves, and perhaps more importantly, the outlook for 2025 is bleak. Max Fried is set to test free agency. Most expect him to leave, and Charlie Morton will likely retire. Getting Spencer Strider back will be a massive boost, but he’ll be returning from a devastating injury. Atlanta’s going to have to add another starter between now and the beginning of the next season. If the opportunity arises to do so ahead of the trade deadline, it would make some sense for Alex Anthopoulos to pounce.

Shortstop

A case could be made that shortstop is the biggest need for the Atlanta Braves heading into the trade deadline. Orlando Arcia hasn’t just been bad; he’s probably been the worst starting player in all of baseball this season. The truth is the Braves probably never should have relied upon him to start again, but he was coming off a career year and extremely cheap. Now, they are in a pickle, because there won’t be many encouraging options for the Braves to choose from at the trade deadline. I expect Anthopoulos to be aggressive in attempting to upgrade at the position, but he may be stuck with what he has.

Outfield

Because of his defense, there’s a world where Orlando Arcia can be a serviceable enough shortstop over the second half of the season if he can find a groove offensively, even if it is just for a month or so. That’s not the case with the outfield. Michael Harris II returning will provide a significant boost, but Adam Duvall and Eddie Rosario shouldn’t be playing every day. Hell, a case could be made that Jarred Kelenic would still be best served as a platoon option. The Braves also need to add some more depth at the position in case of injury. There will be plenty of guys available, and Anthopoulos should come away with multiple.

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