MLB Rumors: Nolan Arenado trade package, Juan Soto buzz, Braves latest
By Mark Powell
MLB Rumors: Why Marcus Stroman won’t be traded to the Braves
Atlanta could certainly use some starting pitching, that much is clear. The Braves are among the World Series favorites for a reason, but without Max Fried (for now) and Kyle Wright (for longer), it’s fair to wonder if they have the rotational firepower to make a deep postseason run.
Stroman makes a ton of sense on the surface as a potential addition, but there are a couple of factors working against such a trade happening. FanSided’s Robert Murray grades a Stroman-Braves fit as a 4/10, explaining all of this in detail:
"“He would certainly fit the Braves’ need for another starting pitcher and they should be able to fit the remainder of his salary on the 2023 payroll. He has a $21 million player option for the 2024 season, which complicates his value. But even then, the Cubs are surging right now and there is a prevailing thought that the team could elect to buy (perhaps a reliever and third baseman) instead of selling. Which would mean Stroman stays put in Chicago. The thought surely would be intriguing for Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos, who was with Stroman in Toronto. But the fit is highly unlikely to result in a trade.”"
Chicago’s winning ways could prevent them from selling altogether, keeping the likes of Stroman and Cody Bellinger with the Cubs. Bellinger is an extension candidate, and Stroman could join him prior to opting out of his contract this offseason.