Braves: 3 trades Alex Anthopoulos will regret not making at the deadline
The Atlanta Braves ultimately were quiet at the MLB trade deadline, but Alex Anthopoulos could end up regretting not trading for these players.
The MLB Trade Deadline has come and gone and, for the most part, the Atlanta Braves were quiet. When the dust all settled the three players that Alex Anthopoulos added to the World Series favorites’ roster were RP Pierce Johnson, IF Nicky Lopez and veteran RP Brad Hand.
Make no mistake, Lopez and Hand could be valuable for the Braves. The former gives them an upgraded depth option of Charlie Culberson (who was DFA’d after that trade with the Royals). Meanwhile, Hand gives Atlanta another experienced and quality lefty out of the bullpen to help ease the load on A.J. Minter. He’s also been a specialist against left-handers this season as well.
Having said that, it’s quite easy to look at the trade deadline after it’s passed and think about the trades that could’ve been made. For the Braves and with the players like Max Fried they have returning soon, they should still be more than fine. There is a chance, however, that Anthopoulos not making these Braves trades ahead of the deadline this season to help take a leading contender to another level.
Braves Rumors: 3 trades Alex Anthopoulos will regret not making at deadline
3. New York Mets RP Brooks Raley
Considering that it felt like the New York Mets traded the entirety of their 40-man roster at the deadline, most notably cutting ties with former Cy Young winners in Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander, it might shock some people to learn that 35-year-old reliever Brooks Raley actually wasn’t moved by Tuesday’s deadline.
Given that two-thirds of the moves that the Braves made before the trade deadline were to add depth to the bullpen, it’s hard to believe that they didn’t sniff around with their NL East rivals about the possibility of a Raley trade. After all, the right-hander has posted a 2.37 ERA and 1.24 WHIP on the season over 46 appearances. That’s an arm that can provide high-end depth to any bullpen.
The Mets did make out well — as you’d hope any organization with a brain would — in the Verlander and Scherzer deals. But the fact of the matter is that there is a much more reasonable price tag on a 35-year-old relief pitcher on an expiring contract, which is the case with Raley. It’s an arena the Braves could’ve comfortably competed in.
Instead, their upgrade in terms of right-hander relievers was to add Johnson, who is more of a reclamation project or a gamble than a surefire way to help the bullpen. Subsequently, Raley is going to be pitching for a team miles away from contention. And while that may give Braves fans a chuckle given that it’s the Mets, if Atlanta has any depth tested in the bullpen, Raley could’ve helped that in a major way.