Braves: 5 under-the-radar trade targets Atlanta should be scouting
By Tim Boyle
5) Braves trade candidate Jesse Winker is a change of scenery guy
Like Grichuk, Jesse Winker was traded this offseason. He went from teaming with Naquin in Cincinnati to patrolling the outfield for the Seattle Mariners. Things haven’t gone particularly well for Winker and the Mariners this year. The team with the longest playoff drought looks like they’re headed to another exit after 162 games.
Winker has been very poor for the Mariners this year but his success last year and reliability in the seasons prior should still make him a candidate for the Braves or anyone else to add. Will Seattle sell him at a low point? Jerry Dipoto loves making trades. For the sake of hitting a personal quota, maybe Atlanta can work out a deal.
The Mariners have plenty of replacements for Winker although some of those guys, such as Jarred Kelenic, haven’t gotten off to good big league starts.
Winker does have another year of control after this season which would give Atlanta another player to head to battle with in 2023. He’s under 30 and until his struggles this year looked like an outfielder on the rise. Add him to a team like Atlanta where making the playoffs is almost mandatory and maybe they can get the most from him. First, they’ll need to convince Seattle it’s time to give up on him already.