One pressing Braves trade need will take precedence over another

The Atlanta Braves are 9.5 games behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East. Winning the division means very little as far as the playoffs are concerned (just ask Atlanta), but it sure feels like the Braves are a step behind the competition compared to years past.

It's not hard to pinpoint the cause of their struggles either. Injuries, a tried-and-true season-wrecker. Both Ronald Acuña Jr. and Spencer Strider are sidelined until 2025, leaving the Braves without arguably their two best players. Even with elite depth and a great coach, it's hard to overcome such monumental losses.

The Braves' offense has been anemic relative to the heights of last season. Matt Olson and Orlando Arcia were All-Stars in 2023. Right now, they're completely lost at the plate. Atlanta has an excellent collection of starting pitchers — Chris Sale and Reynaldo Lopez are All-Stars — but without Strider, there's a gaping hole in the fifth slot.

To the surprise of nobody, Atlanta's primary needs ahead of the July 30 MLB trade deadline align with its major absences. The Braves need another bat in the outfield with Adam Duvall struggling in Acuña's place, and another quality starter would go a long way toward reinforcing the pitching staff. The 2023 playoffs were proof of how important pitching depth is.

In an ideal world, the Braves address both needs and enter the home stretch without a noticeable dent in their armor. Alas, it doesn't always work out that way. Teams need to have a list of priorities, and it sure sounds like Atlanta has a specific order of operations on the trade front.

From Mark Feinsand of MLB.com:

"The beauty of the current playoff format is that you don't have to win your division to be a threat come October. The Braves are likely to try improving their outfield and possibly the rotation, while the Mets have a few areas they can address beginning with the bullpen. All you have to do is get in and you have a chance, so trailing by a number of games in the division is no longer a reason to stand pat in late July."

If we want to read between the lines, addressing the outfield appears to be Atlanta's top priority in the weeks to come.

Braves expected to target outfield depth over a fifth starting pitcher at trade deadline

To be clear, there's a world in which the Braves add an outfielder and a pitcher. There's a world in which the Braves add neither. But, judging from Feinsand's phrasing, outfield is the more pressing need. As it should be. The fifth starting woes pop up every fifth game. Right now, the Braves are suffering from subpar outfield performances on a nightly basis.

Michael Harris' injury has only increased the spotlight on Atlanta's shoddy outfield. The talented 23-year-old is expected back soon, but relying full-time on either Duvall or Eddie Rosario is a recipe for disaster. Outfield depth was a problem for the Braves last postseason, when Kevin Pillar flamed out against the Phillies. Surely Alex Anthopoulos would like to avoid a repeat of history.

The Braves probably aren't dolling out top-shelf prospects for Luis Robert Jr. or Brent Rookier, but Atlanta would benefit from a viable everyday starter — probably a rental — who can hold down the fort until Acuña is back on the field next season.

That said, history could repeat itself on the pitching front, too. The Braves are four-deep with postseason-caliber arms in the starting rotation. Teams don't use five starters in the playoffs, so in theory, that is more than enough. Sale, Lopez, Max Fried, and Charlie Morton stacks up with any four-man group in the National League.

Atlanta needs to account for the possibility of injuries, though. It's one thing if A.J. Smith-Shawver and Bryce Elder are absorbing reps in the regular season. It's another if Elder is forced to start another postseason game. If the Braves lose one or two more arms to injury — Sale, Fried, and Morton all have their injury histories — it becomes a full-scale disaster. The right trade can protect against catastrophe.

Anthopoulos has said that's he is calling teams more aggressively than usual. The Braves realize the precariousness of their situation, especially with the New York Mets on their heels. Now, it's time to put up or shut up. A couple trades could transform Atlanta from a pretender into a World Series champ.