The case for and against Braves making a move at MLB trade deadline

Here is what the Atlanta Braves should do at the MLB trade deadline

I don’t run the Braves, I just love them. If I were Alex Anthopoulos, here is what I would do. I don’t think there is really any need to address with the lineup presently. Six position players made the All-Star Game. For the most part, everyone who plays regularly is either in the midst of a great part of the season for them or have played well earlier in the year. Plus, Atlanta has some depth.

As far as the rotation is concerned, I am a bit reluctant to adding an arm, simply because of the cost to pick up a back-end starter for the second half of a season. With Elder, Morton and Strider pitching well, all you need is a fourth guy to join the party for the Braves to be in a position to win every postseason series they enter. The best part is Fried, Wright or even Soroka could be the guy.

However, if I were to make a move or two in the coming weeks, it would be to address the bullpen. I cannot quite put my finger on what the Braves need, but I think an arm or two to help out in the sixth, seventh or eighth innings should do the trick. All this would do is move proven relief pitchers in the Atlanta bullpen down a peg, only adding to the depth of it. It must be the right piece, though.

Ultimately, I expect for Anthopoulos to make a few moves, but nothing to the caliber of what he did in 2021 to rebuild the once woebegone outfield on the fly, or get a player of Raisel Iglesias’ magnitude to shore up the back-end of the bullpen for years to come. However, I am coming to grips with the fact that Atlanta may not make a move at all. Let’s just hope that it all works out.

If Atlanta were to make a move at the deadline, it would have to be adding depth to the bullpen.