1 perfect trade target for Braves from each of biggest potential sellers

The Atlanta Braves haven't had the start to their season that they were expecting. Ronald Acuña Jr. and Matt Olson, the team's two best hitters from last season, have gotten off to brutal starts. Spencer Strider is out for the season. Even guys like Austin Riley, Ozzie Albies, and Sean Murphy have missed time this season.

Despite all that has gone wrong for Atlanta, and a lot has gone wrong, they enter play on Tuesday with a 27-17 record. Yes, they're five games out of first place in the NL East, but that says more about the Phillies than it does about Atlanta. They still have the third-best record in the NL only behind Philadelphia and the Dodgers.

The Braves are still one of the best teams in all of baseball and will be looking to buy at this year's trade deadline. It's time for Alex Anthopoulos to work his magic. He should target these players from potential deadline sellers and look to improve the weakest link on the roster; the starting rotation.

5. Austin Gomber would fit nicely at the back of the Braves rotation

The Colorado Rockies have once again been a disaster, entering Tuesday's action at 15-31 on the year, the worst record in the NL, but they do have one player playing well. Austin Gomber has been fantastic for Colorado, posting a 3.02 ERA in nine starts and 50.2 innings pitched, and he'd be a solid option for Anthopoulos to pursue.

Gomber's career numbers are far from pretty, but at least some of that has to do with pitching half the time at Coors Field. Let's look at last season for example. He might've had a 5.50 ERA overall, but he had a 7.05 ERA at home and a 3.68 ERA on the road. When pitching in a normal pitching environment, he was much better.

His 4.34 xERA and 4.83 FIP suggest that regression is coming, but the Braves don't need him to be dominant. They need him to be a back-end starter better than the likes of Bryce Elder and Darius Vines which he's more than capable of being away from Colorado.

4. Paul Blackburn could be the next Athletics player traded to the Braves

For a second it looked like the Oakland Athletics might actually mess around and be somewhat competitive, but they've lost eight in a row to fall to 19-30 on the season. Their status as deadline sellers is all but confirmed.

All talk in regards to Oakland selling has revolved around Mason Miller, but there are several reasons to believe that he's not going anywhere. Even if Oakland would consider trading him, the Braves should not meet what is sure to be an absurd asking price. A player that they could consider though, is Paul Blackburn.

He's not an exciting name, but, again, he would fill a need at the back of Atlanta's rotation. He's pitched like a fourth or fifth starter for much of his career and has done so again in 2024, posting a 4.11 ERA in his eight starts and 46 innings of work before suffering a stress reaction in his right foot.

Assuming he'll be healthy to pitch down the stretch for the Braves, he can chip in not only this season but in 2025 as well, when there are all sorts of questions with this rotation.

3. Tyler Anderson makes sense for the Braves short-handed rotation

The Los Angeles Angels are another team destined to sell, as they're currently 10 games under .500. Despite what has been a brutal start to their season, Tyler Anderson has looked like the pitcher they expected him to be when they gave him a three-year deal ahead of 2023.

The southpaw has a 2.72 ERA in nine starts and 56.1 innings of work. He's allowed three runs or fewer in all but one of his appearances and has gone at least six innings in seven of his nine starts. He's looked more like the pitcher he was in 2022 with the Dodgers when he was an All-Star.

This version of Anderson will be a highly sought-after trade candidate given his cheap contract for next season ($13 million). The Braves and Angels have done deals before, and Anderson could be an underratedly good fit for the back of their rotation.

2. Jesus Luzardo could come to Atlanta in a NL East swap

The Miami Marlins got their fire sale started by trading Luis Arraez to the San Diego Padres in early May. Peter Bendix won't stop there, as he'll look to move impending free agents and also players with high value who can net them a strong prospect return like Jesus Luzardo.

Luzardo won't be a free agent until after the 2026 season (which is part of why he's so perfect for the Braves) and could easily be a guy Anthopoulos works out one of his patented extensions with if Atlanta does pull off a trade.

It wouldn't be easy since the Marlins reside in the NL East, but Atlanta does have the pieces necessary to get an arm like this. If the Marlins are open to listening, the Braves should try to find a way to get him to Atlanta.

Luzardo has had a bit of a rough start to this season, posting a 5.02 ERA in seven starts, but he's allowed just two runs in 11.2 innings pitched since returning from a short IL stint and he's looked like a budding star in each of the last two seasons when healthy. It'd cost a lot, but some players are worth giving a lot up for. Luzardo is one of those guys.

1. Sonny Gray is a perfect fit for Atlanta if the Cardinals trade him

The St. Louis Cardinals should sell at the trade deadline. They've played a bit better of late to get to within five games of .500, but let's be realistic. This isn't a playoff team. If they do sell, Sonny Gray is sure to generate tons of interest.

The right-hander has pitched wonderfully for the Cardinals, posting a 2.87 ERA in eight starts and 47 innings of work. He has 59 strikeouts compared to just 10 walks. The Cardinals are 6-2 when he takes the ball and 15-24 when he doesn't.

Gray was the AL Cy Young runner-up last season and has pitched like that same guy this season as well. Not only would he fill in admirably for Strider this season, but he'd be a solid Max Fried replacement if he were to depart in free agency.

Yes, it'd cost a lot in prospect capital. Yes, his contract is expensive for the next two seasons. Yes, he's 34 years old. These are things to consider, but the reality of the situation is he's one of the best pitchers in baseball. If the Braves have the opportunity to trade for one of the best pitchers in baseball while they have a roster capable of winning the World Series, they should not pass on said opportunity.