4 former Braves that Atlanta wishes it had for 2023 postseason, 1 they're glad to avoid

The Atlanta Braves could use some reinforcements.

While Alex Anthopoulos has done a fantastic job acquiring assets for the future while replacing stars who took their talents elsewhere, just imagine if some of those players had stayed? Just how good would this Atlanta team be now?

Anthopoulos is one of the best front office executives in all of baseball because he knows when to say no. When Dansby Swanson and Freddie Freeman exceeded their price range -- at least per AA's opinion -- he was not afraid to mix things up. That's exactly what the Braves needed at that point in time, especially as a mid-market team. The Ronald Acuña Jr. and Ozzie Albies extensions were before his time, but Anthopoulos has copied that model time and time again, thus keeping Atlanta baseball stars in the ATL.

This article isn't to point out mistakes -- no, Anthopoulos has made few of those. However, IF the Braves had access to these former players who have since taken their talents elsewhere, they'd be in even better shape for a postseason run.

Braves sure wish Adam Duvall was in their outfield

Duvall had some health issues this season, but when healthy he was as dependable as they come in center field. He can also play either of the corners, which is an area Atlanta lacks depth. Duvall has proven himself with the Braves in the past, in the heat of a pennant race. Were he available today, Anthopoulos wouldn't hesitate to make the call and sign him for the rest of the season.

Duvall to Atlanta was rumored around the trade deadline. A reunion made some sense at the time, especially with the Braves lack of corner outfield options. The emergence of Eddie Rosario and Marcell Ozuna put an end to that, but it's fair to wonder what could have been. Duvall spoke to FanSided's Robert Murray about how easy it was to acclimate to Atlanta's clubhouse in 2021.

"Obviously, I was able to walk right back into the clubhouse. I had been there for three years before that. I stepped in and we didn’t skip a beat. The other guys … it just goes to show how important a good clubhouse is. If you bring guys in, it’s easier for them to just jump right in and mesh. If you have a bunch of “I” guys, then it’s a little tougher. The group we had that year was fantastic. We came back 11 or 12 games from the Mets and won the division and win the World Series. We clicked at the right time and that’s really what baseball is all about," Duvall said.

The Braves would welcome that type of energy in a second.