Braves: 3 trades Alex Anthopoulos will regret not making at the deadline

1. Detroit Tigers SP Eduardo Rodriguez

Much to the chagrin of the Los Angeles Dodgers — and to Detroit Tigers fans as well — veteran starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez was not moved at the trade deadline. After the deal with the Dodgers was blocked by E-Rod and his no-trade clause, though, the Braves should’ve capitalized on the moment.

Understanding that Anthopoulos and the Braves organization appears to feel confident that Max Fried and Kyle Wright will return this season — Fried much sooner than Wright — it’s also understandable that Atlanta didn’t want to overextend themselves in giving up prospects for a rental option with Rodriguez.

At the same time, though, there is no certainty that Wright returns or, when he does, that he’ll be the same 20-game-winning caliber of player we saw last season. And we’ve already seen the depth of the Braves starting rotation be tested this season with those injuries. On top of that too, Fried is the only lefty arm in the rotation for the rest of the year now.

Rodriguez has not only been great this season over his 15 starts (2.95 ERA, 1.03 WHIP), but he’s a veteran with World Series experience from his time in Boston. This would’ve been the perfect cog to add to the rotation to help take the Braves over the top in terms of their starting pitching depth. In fact, it’s the exact type of trade that, if a club like Atlanta is going to spend big with limited resources, should be made by a contender.

It would’ve also sufficed to go after another Tigers starter, one Michael Lorenzen, who ended up being traded to the Phillies. Though the price would’ve been high for either (and was for Lorenzen), it could’ve been worth it given Atlanta’s search to add one more piece to the rotation.