3 trades Braves shouldn’t wait until deadline to make
By Scott Rogust
The Atlanta Braves should not wait for the deadline to make these three trades if they want to contend for the NL East.
The Atlanta Braves were expected to contend for the National League pennant entering the 2021 season. But they have not had the greatest luck in terms of injuries through the first two months of the campaign, as well as their top free agency signing being out indefinitely for off-field issues.
As of this writing, the Braves sit in fourth-place in the NL East standings but sit just 5.5 games behind the New York Mets for the division lead. The MLB trade deadline is a little over a month away, but that does not mean Atlanta has to wait until the last minute to make some moves. Given their needs ahead of the All-Star break, here are three trades the Braves should make ahead of the deadline.
Kyle Gibson. 126. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. SP. Texas Rangers. 3.. player
Starting pitching is not entirely a necessity for the Braves, considering they are led by Max Fried, Ian Anderson and Charlie Morton. However, they are dealing with some uncertainty as Mike Soroka suffered a setback in his recovery from an Achilles tendon injury. While starting pitching is not their most pressing need, adding another arm to Atlanta’s rotation could help increase their postseason chances.
If the Braves want to explore adding a starter ahead of the deadline, they should call the Texas Rangers in regards to Kyle Gibson.
The Rangers starter was coming off a bad 2020 truncated campaign, where he posted an unideal 5.35 ERA through 12 games. But in 2021, Gibson has made himself the top starting pitcher on the trading block not named Max Scherzer.
Through 13 games, Gibson owns a 2.09 ERA, a 1.030 WHIP and a 4-0 overall record, while recording 61 strikeouts and 22 walks over 77.2 innings of work.
The Rangers are still years away from being in contention for the postseason, so it would be wise for the team to consider getting the best return possible for their best player. They did so with Lance Lynn this past offseason, and they can do so again with Gibson. If the price is right, the Braves should consider making a move for Texas’ starting pitcher.
Let’s not forget, a stout starting rotation can help a team win a World Series. Just ask the Los Angeles Dodgers and Washington Nationals about that.