The Atlanta Braves brutal start to MLB spring training continued on Tuesday, when outfielder Jurickson Profar was suspended for 162 games after testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs. This is the second time Profar has tested positive for PEDs, an unforgivable offense in professional sports.
But what does this mean for the Braves? In the short-term, they need a new corner outfielder. Atlanta was already a bit shorthanded in that department. Thankfully, they have one of the most aggressive front office executives in MLB in Alex Anthopoulos. A trade could be on the horizon, as could a free-agent addition.
A Braves trade that could cure their Jurickson Profar headache
No, I am not a doctor, so I cannot prescribe Anthopoulos some Advil and be on my way. Rather, the best way for the Braves to find a late-offseason solution to the mess Profar put them in is via trade. A deal for Georgia native Byron Buxton should be on the table, even if the Twins star would rather stay put. The Twins are going nowhere fast, while the Braves roster has them in a better position to win right now.
The concept of an emergency trade, as the headline suggests, is rather simple. The Braves need to make a trade the Twins cannot refuse for Buxton. In order to accomplish this task, Anthopoulos must part ways with several top-10 prospects and a big-league ready player. Braves fans, shield your eyes.
Would the Braves make this trade?
The Braves don't have much of a choice. Yes, Buxton comes with his own set of issues – namely injuries – but he's played in more than 100 games in back-to-back seasons. Buxton can play multiple outfield positions, including either of the corners. He's a better player than Profar, full stop. And, per FanSided MLB Insider Robert Murray, Profar's wrongdoings should help Atlanta afford Buxton's contract, at least this coming season.
"Profar’s suspension is a brutal blow for the Braves who have already lost two pitchers to long-term injuries. It gives Atlanta $15 million to either replace Profar at designated hitter or to go fill the void in the rotation, though it's unclear who Alex Anthopoulos might target with options limited weeks before Opening Day," Murray tells me.
Would the Twins make this trade?
If you're Minnesota, this is the exact reason why you haven't traded Buxton yet. The Twins can take advantage of the Braves desperation. Atlanta wants to win the NL East this season. Minnesota is projected to finish near the bottom of a bad AL Central division. What am I missing?
In Fuentes, the Twins could acquire the Braves No. 3-ranked prospect and someone who has pitched in the big leagues already. The same can be said of Harris, who is 27 years old and on Atlanta's big-league roster. But the top jewel of this trade could be Tornes, the Braves No. 7-ranked prospect who is just 17 years old and, much like Buxton, an outfielder. If the Twins aren't going to be a good baseball team for awhile, then there is no rush to rebuild. Fuentes is just 21, and Tornes is a long play lottery ticket.
What other options do the Braves have?
Unfortunately for the Braves, there aren't many other options available in free agency. Unless Atlanta is interested in, say, Tommy Pham or Max Kepler, their best bet is to replace Profar via trade. If Profar were only going to miss a few months, then perhaps Anthopoulos could get away with a below-average replacement. But the Braves acquired Profar for the specific purpose of being a regular bat in their lineup (and producing at an above-average clip). Neither Kepler nor Pham can provide that sort of offense.
As far as in-house options, the Braves can roll out one of Eli White or Mike Yastrzemski. Yaz is a left-handed bat who hits righties well, so there's certainly room for him in a platoon role. White is electric on the basepaths and a scrappy hitter at the plate. They also wouldn't add to the Braves payroll, which at this point in the offseason has likely been finalized.
But, as Murray mentioned, Profar's $15 million is there for the taking if Atlanta wants to find a more suitable replacement. Personally, that's the option I would choose.