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MLB Rumors: Pete Alonso trade buzz, Braves-Cardinals trade, Royals rock and hard place

By Cody Williams

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 18: Pete Alonso #20 of the New York Mets in action against the St. Louis Cardinals during a game at Citi Field on June 18, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 18: Pete Alonso #20 of the New York Mets in action against the St. Louis Cardinals during a game at Citi Field on June 18, 2023 in New York City. (Photo by Rich Schultz/Getty Images) /
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MLB Rumors, Atlanta Braves, Jordan Montgomery, St. Louis Cardinals
Jordan Montgomery, St. Louis Cardinals (Photo by Joe Puetz/Getty Images) /

MLB Rumors: Braves trade for Cardinals LHP Jordan Montgomery could be exactly what they need

Some people have cooled off on the idea that the Atlanta Braves need to target a starting pitcher or the middle of the rotation when looking at the club’s trade deadline needs. With Michael Soroka coming back up, Kolby Allard flashing in his lone start, and even guys like Jared Shuster and AJ Smith-Shawver having had moments too, the reasoning there makes sense — especially with Max Fried’s return inching closer.

I have not wavered from that, however. And neither has ESPN Senior Writer David Schoenfield.

Schoenfield broke down one trade that every MLB team should make before the deadline this season (subscription required) and surmised that the Braves should be after Cardinals starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery in a deal.

The caveat for this trade was “if Fried and [Kyle] Wright can’t get healthy”, but I’m less inclined to even include that. Fried is going to come back based on his current trajectory, but that still leaves a bit of a question mark in the Atlanta rotation, especially with Wright’s recovery timetable still looking far less certain at the moment.

Put simply, going into the home stretch of the regular season and, more importantly, the playoffs with a rotation of Fried, Spencer Strider, Bryce Elder, Charlie Morton and someone from the Soroka/Shuster/Smith-Shawver/Allard group in the fifth spot is far less enticing than inserting the Cardinals lefty into the mix.

Montgomery leads St. Louis starters this season with a 3.52 ERA and 1.27 WHIP this season. He’s also a free agent after the 2023 campaign, hence the potential for the Cardinals to deal him. That’s also favorable for the Braves in a possible trade as they hope to be able to find help in cost-effective manners, a staple of the Alex Anthopoulos era.

Of the options that fit that bill for the Braves, Montgomery might be at the top of the list.

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