It’s that time of the year for baseball fans, the trade deadline. For Braves Country, it’s going to be especially interesting because there are so many different directions Alex Anthopoulos can go.
Most expect Atlanta’s GM to add at least one outfielder, but I wouldn’t rule out multiple acquisitions in that area. The shortstop position is the single biggest weakness on the team, and it will be one that will still exist in 2025. If Anthopoulos can somehow swing a deal to fix the position for multiple years, that would be ideal.
The pitching staff as a whole might be the best in baseball, headlined by the rotation’s three All-Stars in Max Fried, Chris Sale, and Reynaldo Lopez. The bullpen led the MLB in ERA across the first half of the season, and they’re still stashing talented arms in Triple-A Gwinnett.
However, relievers are cheap at the deadline, and AJ Minter could leave in free agency. It’s an area that Anthopoulos has generally addressed even if it wasn’t obviously a weakness. The rotation, similarly, has 2025 holes that could be filled at the 2024 trade deadline.
Max Fried’s free agency and Charlie Morton’s retirement are looming. Combined with Spencer Strider’s injury, the rotation will be a focal point for Anthopoulos this offseason, but perhaps he will address it sooner.
Suffice to say, everything is on the table for the Braves as the trade deadline approaches. Whether they acquire a star outfielder, another starter to replace Max Fried in 2025 and beyond, or Orlando Arcia at shortstop, the price will be steep.
So, it’s the perfect time to remind Braves fans that no prospect is off limits, including the one that you believe will be the next Barry Bonds or Greg Maddux. Chase recently highlighted Atlanta’s best trade chips, and every single one of them can be moved in the right deal.
For guys like Garrett Crochet, Tarik Skubal, Randy Arozarena, Brent Rooker, Taylor Ward, Jazz Chisolm Jr., etc., no prospect is off limits. Every single one — Spencer Schwellenbach, AJ Smith-Shawver, Hurston Waldrep, Owen Murphy, JR Ritchie, Nacho Alvarez, Drake Baldwin — should be available for the right player.
Alex Anthopoulos is one of the best GMs in all of sports, and one area he thrives in particularly is identifying his organization’s own talent. When opportunities arose to trade Austin Riley, Ozzie Albies, and Ronald Acuna Jr., he declined.
In that same breath, the vast majority of prospects that Anthopoulos has traded away have flopped. The Braves generally come out looking like bandits, and it’s what makes him so great at his job. If he sees Schwellenbach as a future ace, obviously he’d be one of the trade chips that Anthopoulos would keep close to his chest.
However, when talking about these guys, it’s better to consider them as trade chips, rather than a sure-fire thing. It’s always better to trade an unproven commodity for a proven one when looking to win a World Series right now.
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