3 players Braves can target to take advantage of Joc Pederson trade return

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Jun 5, 2021; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates relief pitcher Richard Rodriguez (48) pitches against the Miami Marlins during the ninth inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports /

2. Richard Rodriguez

If there is one area that Braves fans would likely want to be improved by the deadline, it is the bullpen. In 35 save opportunities as of this writing, Atlanta has blown 15 of them, per Baseball Reference. That is certainly not ideal for a team that was expected to contend for the World Series later this year.

The Braves have plenty of bullpen options on the trading block, but if they want a long-term solution, they need to call the Pittsburgh Pirates about Richard Rodriguez.

Pittsburgh is situated at the bottom of the NL Central standings, and they can stand to sell some of their top players to further bolster their farm system to eventually become powerhouses down the line. Considering Rodriguez has two more seasons of arbitration eligibility, the Pirates can cash in on a great deal for his services.

In 36 games, Rodriguez has recorded a 2.65 ERA, a 0.804 WHIP, 13 saves, 31 strikeouts and four walks through 37.1 innings of work.

The Braves need stability in their bullpen, and Rodriguez provides them with just that. Plus, they have the assets to make a deal with the Pirates.

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