Braves: 3 familiar faces to trade for not named Joc Pederson or Jorge Soler
By Mark Powell
As tempting as it may be for the Braves to try and repeat their 2021 World Series run, trading for Joc Pederson and Jorge Soler isn’t the answer.
Alex Anthopoulos could (and should) make some smaller moves to improve the Atlanta ball-club, which currently holds the best record in the National League and just took two out of three games against the red-hot Cincinnati Reds.
The Braves are the team to beat in the NL, and perhaps all of MLB were it not for the Tampa Bay Rays. This is why Anthopoulos will spend the month prior to the trade deadline searching for ways to add without subtracting all that much. The only issue with that formula? Well, as pundits have pointed out, the expanded postseason format makes more more buyers and less sellers. Trades between a pair of deadline buyers should be expected this season, which means the traditional asset-for-prospects trade format won’t always be so simple.
The list of true sellers, however, is growing. Expect the Braves to contact these teams early and often, while also exploring other formats to improve the roster. This could include some familiar faces for Atlanta fans.
Former Braves to trade for: Chasen Shreve
Chasen Shreve is a former Atlanta farmhand who never really made much of an impact on the major-league squad. He did, though, pitch in 15 games to a 0.73 ERA with the Braves in 2014. That’s not for nothing.
Since then, Shreve’s career has been up and down. Spending this season with the Detroit Tigers, expect Scott Harris to receive plenty of calls about the right-hander as the need for bullpen depth at the deadline is expected to outgrow the available supply.
Shreve is just two years removed from a successful year with the Pittsburgh Pirates, in which he had a 3.20 ERA in 57 appearances. This year in MoTown, he has a 4.03 ERA in 31 appearances. Shreve is respectable enough to be a middle-of-the-pack relief pitcher, but should not be featured in the Braves back end. By adding Shreve, Atlanta could maneuver its bullpen and ensure their top relief pitchers get enough rest leading up to the postseason.