3 moves Braves can make to keep up with Dodgers in the NL after Shohei Ohtani signing
By John Buhler
The Atlanta Braves were never going to pay Shohei Ohtani what he could command on the open market. Blessed with one Mickey Mouse World Series Championship, the Los Angeles Dodgers gave Ohtani an absolutely ridiculous 10-year contract worth $700 million, fully guaranteed. He is a phenom, but what if his arm falls off before the end of year three? That is so much money for a DH!
Although Atlanta was rumored to be a dark horse to pry Ohtani away from the Los Angeles Angels, that is not how Alex Anthopoulos operates running the Braves' front office. Nothing leaks out of Atlanta, so anything a baseball reporter of note speculates about the Braves is as good as your best guess or mine. Fortunately, we are probably due for at least one big splash by Atlanta this offseason.
Last year saw them trade for Oakland Athletics catcher Sean Murphy. Two years ago, Atlanta dealt for hometown product in Lilburn native Matt Olson to man first base. Both former Oakland standouts were NL All-Stars last season, with Olson setting a franchise record in home runs, finishing in the top five in NL MVP voting as well. It will not be Oakland, but Anthopoulos is poised to make a deal soon.
Here are three moves I think would make a lot of sense for the Braves to make to keep pace with L.A.
3 moves Atlanta Braves can make to keep pace with Los Angeles Dodgers
3. Trade for Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Corbin Burnes
No doubt about it. The Milwaukee Brewers are at a crossroads organizationally. They had been a contender in the NL Central for years under former skipper Craig Counsell's guidance. With him taking over for the rival Chicago Cubs in-division, as well as the Brewers increasingly likely to hit the reset button as a franchise, they might move on from former Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes.
Truthfully, I hope Milwaukee is able to keep Burnes because he is awesome and a great reason to put butts in seats there so the franchise won't relocate. However, Atlanta did do business with Milwaukee last offseason, as the Braves sent their 2022 All-Star William Contreras to the Brewers as part of the Murphy deal with Oakland. At the very least, communication lines are open between both NL teams.
If Atlanta added Burnes by way of trade, it would completely solidify the rotation with Spencer Strider and Bryce Elder long-term parts of it, as well as Charlie Morton back for another year and Max Fried playing in a contract year. Preferably, I would like to see Anthopoulos extend Fried before he goes to market, but that is not how he operates. Therefore, I cannot rule anything out Anthopoulos may do.
Burnes in Atlanta would be spectacular, but I think the Braves have more promising trade candidates.