3 players Braves need to steal in the impending Cubs fire sale
By John Buhler
The Atlanta Braves are a team that should take advantage of a potential Chicago Cubs fire sale.
Oh, my god! The Chicago Cubs are having a fire … sale, and the Atlanta Braves need to go get some star players from them for pennies on the dollar.
Though neither NL team looks to be postseason bound this year, Chicago is infinitely more likely to rebuild than Atlanta. The Braves could look to retool at the trade deadline coming later this month, but a complete teardown of the Cubs roster feels imminent. There are several players on the Chicago roster that would make a ton of sense in Atlanta uniform. What about adding these three?
Here are three players the Braves should try to add once the Cubs’ impending fire sale begins.
Atlanta Braves: 3 Chicago Cubs players they should acquire at the trade deadline
9. 3. player. Javy Baez. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. SS. Chicago Cubs
He may only be a rental, but Javy Baez could be a possible upgrade at shortstop
This potential move will make a lot of Braves Country very mad, but sometimes you have to take advantage of a big opportunity when you can. Trading for Javy Baez would signify the end of an era of hometown hero Dansby Swanson at shortstop. Though manager Brian Snitker will absolutely hate it, Braves fans will love to see the strikeouts from the position wane just a tad.
Baez is one of the Cubs of note who will be entering free agency this winter. Of the 2016 World Series core, Baez is more likely to be retained by the Cubs than third baseman/outfielder Kris Bryant, but nowhere near as likely as first baseman Anthony Rizzo. Baez will test free agency, and probably will not re-sign with the Braves. This move is all about potentially moving off Swanson.
The former No. 1 overall pick out of Vanderbilt by the Arizona Diamondbacks has never been consistent enough at the plate to be an NL All-Star in Braves uniform. He is entering another year of arbitration this winter before hitting free agency for the first time ahead of the 2023 MLB season. Swanson would be cheaper for the Cubs than Baez, as well as a trade piece for next year.
Trading for Baez is a pipe dream, but so would be adding Trevor Story from the Colorado Rockies.