Braves: 3 trades to make and 1 to avoid

The Braves nearly traded for him at the MLB trade deadline last season. The Texas Rangers fell apart down the stretch, especially after Fernando Tatis Jr. went all Slam Diego Padres on them for the whole world to see. Atlanta may feel like it is set when it comes to its starting rotation, but this position group cannot be the 2021 team’s Achilles’ heel by any capacity. Do they get Lance Lynn?

Lynn will be in his age-34 season in 2021, which will also be a contract year for him. He is slated to hit free agency this time next year. With back-to-back, top-10 AL Cy Young award finishes with the Rangers, it feels as though Lynn has really learned how to pitch after initially breaking into the league with the St. Louis Cardinals. This is a guy with a bunch of big-game experience in October.

While the Braves have already added Charlie Morton and Drew Smyly as savvy veterans to help round out their rotation, the last thing general manager Alex Anthopoulos can afford is for his carefully-crafted starting pitching staff to fall apart at the seams. By trading for a guy like Lynn in a contract year, this might be the move that helps get Atlanta back to the World Series.

So what would the Braves have to give up to get Lynn? Not a ton, as a mid-tier prospect and a position player going the Rangers’ way could do the trick. The question is if Anthopoulos feels he is set with this rotation or if he is willing to do a little more tinkering. Atlanta may not trade for Lynn this offseason, but he could potentially be on the move heading into this summer’s trade deadline.