Braves: 5 under-the-radar trade targets Atlanta should be scouting
By Tim Boyle
4) Braves trade target Randal Grichuk is another flexible outfielder with some pop
It’s kind of unbelievable that Randal Grichuk actually had more games played with the Toronto Blue Jays than he did the St. Louis Cardinals. Who would have thought? Grichuk’s time with Toronto ended in the offseason when they traded him to the Colorado Rockies. This season has gone well for him and while Coors Field could get some of the credit, Grichuk has been a somewhat reliable right-handed hitter for the last couple of seasons.
What the Braves can get out of Grichuk is similar to the performance they expected from Joc Pederson last year. Grichuk is a low-average, high-power hitter with a career average of just under 30 home runs per 162 games. Yet another outfielder whose days of playing center field should be pretty much over, he can at least man the position in any dire need.
Grichuk’s contract includes another season after this which Atlanta shouldn’t be afraid to take on. They could always find a match in the offseason anyway just in case things don’t go well and they want to move on. He still carries value with him.
The risk with Grichuk is that he wouldn’t improve the Braves’ biggest weaknesses. He isn’t a great defender and his lack of hitting for average historically could just give them more of the season. At a cheap price, he’s still worth a look.