Former Braves outfielder begs for Alex Anthopoulos to make one obvious offseason move

While Alex Anthopoulos looked like a genius two years ago pivoting off Dansby Swanson in favor of Orlando Arcia, who beat out Vaughn Grissom, for the starting shortstop gig on the Atlanta Braves, that blew up in his face completely last year. Although he did later move Grissom to the Boston Red Sox in exchange for 2024 Triple Crown winner Chris Sale, Arcia was a shell of himself last season.

Arcia had once been a prized prospect in the Milwaukee Brewers organization, but that was years ago. He has been with the Braves for the better part of the last half decade. He has his moments, as well as really strong 2023 MLB season top to bottom. However, his defense regressed last season and he was pretty much a walking out hitting at the very bottom of the Atlanta lineup in September.

Although Atlanta still needs to figure out how to round out its starting rotation, as well as address the logjam existing at outfield and designated hitter, the biggest thing the Braves need to do is trade for a star shortstop. It is why former Braves outfielder and broadcaster Jeff Francoeur was pounding the table for it while speaking to another former Atlanta player in A.J. Pierzynski while on Foul Territory.

Francoeur identified two players Anthopoulos needs to target in Willy Adames and Bo Bichette.

The question is will Atlanta be able to pull off a huge trade for Bichette or be able to sign Adames.

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Jeff Francoeur wants Atlanta Braves to make a trade for star shortstop

Earlier in the week, I touched on what it may take for the Braves to pull off a blockbuster trade with the Toronto Blue Jays for Bichette. Toronto is an organization Anthopoulos knows well, as he used to be their general manager right before the Blue Jays drafted Bichette out of high school. He is under contract for one more year, so Atlanta may want to extend him if he were to come over in a big trade.

As for Adames, he is hitting free agency. That might price him out of the Braves' range in some capacities, as they still need to figure out what to do with Max Fried and Charlie Morton this offseason. All signs point to Fried walking in his free agency and Morton heading for retirement. Milwaukee would never trade Adames to Atlanta, but since he is hitting free agency, he can be had.

Overall, I think there is a place for either of these star shortstops in Atlanta. It would require finding Arcia another place to play if that were the case. He is not making much, but a demotion of his magnitude would lead to hurt feelings. Arcia is a starting-level shortstop in the league, but probably not for a perennial contender like Atlanta is. Adding either Adames or Bichette would be fantastic.

Keep in mind that Anthopoulos operates in silence, you cannot forecast any major moves of his.