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Braves rumors: 3 superstar pitcher trades to fix the issue, 2 budget options to help

By Cody Williams

TORONTO, ON - MAY 12: Spencer Strider #99 of the Atlanta Braves leaves the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on May 12, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images)
TORONTO, ON - MAY 12: Spencer Strider #99 of the Atlanta Braves leaves the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on May 12, 2023 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) /
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Atlanta Braves trade rumors, Shane Bieber, Cleveland Guardians
Shane Bieber, Cleveland Guardians. (Photo by Ron Schwane/Getty Images) /

The Atlanta Braves are still trying to find answers for the rotation and the trade market could heat up with superstars and budget options both available.

It’s frankly somewhat remarkable that the Atlanta Braves have been as dominant in the 2023 season given the issues they’ve had with pitching, specifically the rotation as the bullpen has started to round into form.

Injuries to Max Fried, Kyle Wright and Ian Anderson have put them behind the 8-ball and manager Brian Snitker has left no stone unturned trying to find replacements to help them through this time. But Michael Soroka was optioned back to Triple-A after two up-and-down starts, Dylan Dodd has been inconsistent as well, and the bullpen games yielded unkind results.

With Fried being moved to the 60-day IL, a lack of faith in Soroka after his first two starts, and a potential reluctance to elevate 20-year-old AJ Smith-Shawver into a starting role so soon after he started the season in Single-A, it might be time for Alex Anthopoulos and the Braves to finally get active on the trade market.

But in that light, do the Atlanta Braves target superstars in a trade to possibly fix the issue long term, or rather look to more budget-friendly options that can be helpful to get through this season? Let’s take a look at both with three stars and two budget options the Braves could trade for.

Braves trade rumors: 3 superstars to fix pitching issues, 2 budget options

5. Shane Bieber would be a Cy Young-caliber fix for the Braves long term

Bubbling under the surface in Cleveland has been the possibility that the Guardians would move former Cy Young winner Shane Bieber at the MLB Trade Deadline. He’s in the next to last year of club control before he’ll be a free agent and extension talks have not been particularly fruitful.

If the Guardians are going to trade Bieber, though, that’s a market that the Atlanta Braves would be completely foolish to not sniff around in.

Bieber hasn’t been as dominant this season as in some year’s past, but he’s still been a high-end starting pitcher. Through 12 starts, the 28-year-old has posted a 3.72 ERA with a 1.29 WHIP. A minor issue early on has been a decline in his K/BB ration to 2.5, well below his career-worst of 4.1 for a season. But that has started to rebound.

You also simply can’t forget how unhittable he’s been at times, most notably in the shortened 2020 season when he won the AL Cy Young in which he posted an absurd 1.63 ERA and 0.87 WHIP over 12 starts with Cleveland.

Anthopoulous and the Braves have made their bones about trading for guys at the end of club control and then locking them up on extensions. If that’s the route that they choose to go to address the issues with the rotation, Bieber is about as good of an option as you could imagine.

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