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
