Braves Rumors: 3 last-minute trades Atlanta needs to make to win World Series

1. Braves trade for best rotation upgrade with Tigers LHP Eduardo Rodriguez

It’s going to cost a ton, but the Atlanta Braves trading for Tigers southpaw Eduardo Rodriguez would be an absolute power move from Alex Anthopoulos.

As MLB Network’s Jon Morosi noted, the Tigers and Braves have a good relationship between the front offices, including making a deal this past December that involved veteran releiver Joe Jiminez coming to Atlanta. As such, Morosi called another deal between these two clubs a storyline to watch before Tuesday’s deadline.

Though E-Rod missed some time earlier in the season due to injury, the veteran lefty has still made 15 starts for Detroit this year and has been a bonafide ace, putting up a 2.95 ERA with a 1.03 WHIP on the year. With a series of complicated outs and options over the next few years, though, the Tigers are motivated to move him. And as Bob Nightengale of USA Today noted, it’s not a matter of if they trade Rodriguez, but when.

The price tag would be substantial, as Nightengale also reported that Detroit is simply waiting for other teams to budge on the Tigers’ high asking price in a trade for Rodriguez. With that said, it could be worth it for the Braves to acquire a top-end starter to add to the rotation, another lefty for their mix of starters to pair with Max Fried in that regard, and a player who could potentially be around beyond just the end of this season as well.

Rodriguez has been a legitimate ace this season and adding that to the Braves cast of starting pitchers alongside a soon-returning Fried, Spencer Strider, Bryce Elder and Charlie Morton would be a nightmare for any team hoping to get past Atlanta in the postseason.