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4 relievers Braves need to trade for with Aroldis Chapman off the board

By Cody Williams

ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JULY 02: Aroldis Chapman #45 of the Texas Rangers pitches during the seventh inning against the Houston Astros at Globe Life Field on July 02, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - JULY 02: Aroldis Chapman #45 of the Texas Rangers pitches during the seventh inning against the Houston Astros at Globe Life Field on July 02, 2023 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images) /
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Atlanta Braves trade targets, Braves Rumors, Scott Barlow, Kansas City Royals
Scott Barlow, Kansas City Royals. (Photo by Kyle Rivas/Getty Images) /

Aroldis Chapman was one of the biggest trade chips available, so how can the Atlanta Braves help their bullpen now at the deadline?

Over the past month, or at least the previous few weeks, it’s become clear that the Atlanta Braves bullpen should be and likely will be the primary focus for Alex Anthopoulos and the Braves at the MLB Trade Deadline. But they might have to act quickly based on the first big trade of the 2023 season with Aroldis Chapman going to the Texas Rangers.

Chapman, who signed a one-year deal with the Kansas City Royals this offseason, was sent to the Texas Rangers at the end of June for a relatively modest price. The Braves had been connected as a potential suitor for Chapman given the need in the bullpen and the veteran flamethrower’s performance this season. But now he’s no longer an option.

So with Chapman off the table as a Braves trade target, where does Atlanta return? The price that the Rangers paid could be good news for Anthopoulos and Co., but they need to start moving a big quicker to make a trade for one of these four relievers to give the Braves bullpen the reinforcements they need.

Braves Rumors: 4 relievers to trade for with Aroldis Chapman off the table

4. Scott Barlow could be the better Royal to target for the Braves

To put it bluntly, the Royals aren’t exactly rich with trade targets, even if the club does plan to sell at the trade deadline. Chapman was the arguably the biggest chip they had to put on the table, but the Braves should be interested in another veteran face in the bullpen, righty Scott Barlow.

Admittedly, I’ve been on the Barlow train for quite, particularly in the vein of bringing him to Atlanta. And it’s not hard to see why.

While Chapman certainly garnered more headlines in Kansas City this season, the 30-year-old Barlow has remained a solid presence still, posting a 4.06 ERA and 1.29 WHIP. More importantly, Fangraphs has the veteran with a 3.32 xERA, meaning that he’s statistically gotten unlikely to have his ERA north of 4.00 on the season.

That makes sense given what Barlow has shown for the Royals in recent years, posting a 2.42 ERA and 1.20 WHIP in 2021 and then following that up with an even more impressive campaign a year ago, ending the season with a 2.18 ERA and 1.00 WHIP over 69 appearances. To put it plainly, he has good stuff.

Barlow is only under club control for one more season after this year. At his age, he doesn’t fit the Royals’ timeline, which motivates them to move him. Because of the extra year of arbitration eligibility on his deal, he might be slightly more expensive than Chapman was for the Rangers, but he could be equally as beneficial to the Braves in the second half of the 2023 season… and into next year as well.

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