Surprising Alex Anthopoulos deadline admission proves Braves should've done more

The Atlanta Braves weren't silent at the trade deadline, striking up a four-player trade with the San Francisco Giants to return Jorge Soler and Luke Jackson to the ATL. Jackson will occupy an important role in the bullpen, while Soler claimed the leadoff spot in the Braves' lineup for his first game back.

Soler, especially, is royalty in Atlanta after winning World Series MVP in 2021. The slugging outfielder, who has spent the last few years as primarily a DH, addresses a glaring hole in the Braves' roster. Ronald Acuña is out of the season and the ongoing reserve efforts of Eddie Rosario and Adam Duvall leave much to be desired. Michael Harris is due back eventually, and Jarred Kelenic has been solid this season, but the Braves need a spark in the outfield. Bad.

The defensive element of plugging Soler into right field is a valid source of concern, but Atlanta's offense has paced well below expectations this season. We can blame the spate of injuries or the uncharacteristically milquetoast production of Matt Olson and Austin Riley, but simply put, the Braves need more power. More runs driven in. Soler should supply both in ample volume.

Still, the Braves left arguably their biggest weakness untouched — the back end of their starting rotation.

Atlanta has been cycling through unproven rookies all season, with Spencer Schwellenbach emerging lately as the most dependable fifth starter. As Max Fried sits on the IL and Reynaldo Lopez approaches a potential innings limit, however, depth in the starting rotation remains an issue. The Braves are all too familiar with the injury bug right now. The barrier between Atlanta starting Bryce Elder in a postseason game again isn't as thick as it should be.

Plenty of quality starters were available at the trade deadline, and yet the Braves added none. Alex Anthopoulos admits the Braves were in the market for starting pitching, but nothing crossed the finish line. From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

"We explored rotation stuff. If we could get a frontline starter or someone like that, you find room for those guys, right? We had some contingencies and so on, but we didn’t get close. But we still had discussions up until the last hour. But right now we have five that we like, and that would’ve been a good problem to have. You tell me you have six starters that you like, especially with two months to go, and hopefully you get to the postseason – that’s a good problem to have. So if we could’ve lined up on value and cost, we would’ve made the move and found a way to get through it."

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Braves' trade deadline inaction could haunt them in the playoffs

The Soler addition should prove impactful for Atlanta, but not adding another starter feels like a mistake. Both Fried and Lopez are eligible (and due) to pitch this week (Friday and Saturday, respectively) but the specter of injury hangs over this team. Chris Sale has not been the most durable ace in recent years and Charlie Morton is 41. The lack of bankable contingency plans in the rotation is stark, especially with how badly injuries have beat up the Braves in 2024. You'd think the front office would batten down the hatches and prepare for the worst.

Atlanta was tied to Chicago White Sox ace Garrett Crochet at one point. It's clear the Braves were at least looking, as Anthopoulos mentions, but he also notes his confidence in current five-man group. That is a ringing endorsement for Schwellenbach, who pitched seven innings of two-hit, scoreless baseball against the New York Mets last weekend.

If the Braves can deliver a healthy pitching staff to the playoffs, all this hand-wringing is moot. Sale and Fried are set-and-forget quality in the playoffs. Lopez is a bit less certain given his history, but the Braves can pivot to Morton without panicking. If Schwellenbach, green and unseasoned, is forced to register starts in the postseason, however, the Braves could be in trouble.

Atlanta still has one of the best rosters in baseball, at least on paper. And that's with Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña out of commission. The Braves fandom shouldn't necessarily freak out, but it would've been much more comforting had Anthopoulos done a bit more to reinforce the roster.