Ranking the 5 best trade targets for the Braves to pursue at the deadline

The Atlanta Braves are, still, eight games behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East. It feels like a perpetual stasis at this point. Atlanta won two of three in their most recent head-to-head series, but it doesn't amount to anything meaningful with Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, and J.T. Realmuto all sidelined.

This Braves team is undeniably "good." Brian Snitker will have his team in the Wild Card bracket at worst, with a dormant offense that threatens to explode at any moment and enough quality pitching to push deep into the playoffs. We know the Braves are World Series viable, even when Ronald Acuña is out of commission.

And yet, it's unclear whether or not this Braves team, without Acuña and No. 1 ace Spencer Strider, can be truly great. The National League is weaker than usual, which props the door open for Atlanta, but the Phils are legitimately dominant. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers lurk as proper contenders with balanced rosters and comfortable leads over their respective divisions. As the 2023 playoffs proved, we can't discount the fringe Wild Card threats either.

If the Braves want to feel good going into the second half of the season, Alex Anthopoulos needs to operate aggressively ahead of the July 30 trade deadline. The Braves' farm system isn't elite, but there's enough trade ammo to facilitate a needle-moving acquisition (or a couple).

Let's canvass the league for realistic trade targets and highlight the five best from Atlanta's perspective.

5. Jack Flaherty, Detroit Tigers

Jack Flaherty is once again in the thick of trade rumors after inking a one-year, $14 million contract with the Detroit Tigers in free agency. Last season was a tale of two halves for Flaherty. He was electric out of the gate for St. Louis and became a sought-after commodity in trade talks. Then, he arrived in Baltimore at the deadline, advertised as the top-line starter missing from the Orioles' title pursuit.

That's not quite how it unfolded. Flaherty posted a 6.75 ERA across nine appearances (seven starts) for the O's, including a god-awful performance in Baltimore's Wild Card loss to Texas. The Orioles couldn't trust Flaherty down the stretch in a competitive environment. Can the Braves?

That is the conundrum Atlanta and other contenders face ahead of the trade deadline. Detroit is going to sell and Flaherty has been excellent for the Motor City squad, posting a 3.24 ERA with 115 strikeouts in 89.0 innings pitched. Is this real, or is it a mirage — a product of his low-stakes situation on a tanking Tigers team?

The Braves should be able to proceed with cautious optimism here. Odds are Flaherty learned a lot from last season's collapse and he has clearly returned with a vengeance in 2024. Atlanta doesn't need Flaherty to anchor the rotation either. He simply needs to provide a workable fifth starting arm in a rotation that already includes two All-Stars in Chris Sale and Reynaldo Lopez, as well as proven vets Max Fried and Charlie Morton.

4. Jazz Chisholm Jr., Miami Marlins

The Braves could search for help within the division, calling up the wayward Miami Marlins to soften the pangs associated with Ronald Acuña's absence in right field. Chisholm is naturally a centerfielder, but he's a superb athlete who ought to learn the ropes in right or left field quickly enough. Paired with Michael Harris, Jarred Kelenic, and (when healthy) Acuña, Atlanta suddenly has the most explosive outfield depth chart outside of New York.

Chisholm has struggled on and off since his impressive All-Star campaign in 2022, but he's 26 years old and arbitration eligible through the 2026 season. He is financially affordable through the 2026 campaign at least, giving Atlanta time to develop and grow before shelling out a major long-term extension. Anthopoulos generally doesn't hand out max-price contracts in free agency. He'd prefer to get a young star in the system early and develop from within.

There's also a chance for positional creativity here. Chisholm came up as a second baseman. He has some experience at shortstop. He could, in theory, join Ozzie Albies in the middle infield if the Braves prefer to replace Orlando Arcia's at-bats instead of the injured Acuña.

Chisholm has real power behind his swing, a flashy glove, and impressive speed on the base paths. It hasn't been the smoothest season, again — .255/.326/.407 with 10 home runs and 40 RBI in 329 at-bats — but Chisholm ought to blossom in a better situation. The Braves offer a winning culture and a ton of veteran talent for Chisholm to learn from.

3. Garrett Crochet, Chicago White Sox

Of the available starting pitchers, Chicago White Sox ace Garrett Crochet offers the most intriguing blend of immediate productivity and long-term upside. There are durability concerns tied to his high velocity and limited starting experience, but the results this season are undeniable. Crochet has been absolutely electric for the worst team in baseball, posting a 6-6 record through 19 starts with a 3.08 ERA and 0.968 WHIP.

With 146 strikeouts in 105.1 innings pitched, Crochet currently leads the American League in K's. He has handled the uptick in usage well so far. That can always change, but at 25, Crochet is still a pup by MLB standards. He is also arbitration eligible through 2026, giving Atlanta a runway to develop the burgeoning ace before deciding on his long-term future.

This is a classic Anthopoulos trade target. Crochet won't cost much (financially) in the near future and he addresses a plain-as-day weakness for the Braves. Atlanta needs a more suitable fifth starter than Spencer Schwellenbach or Bryce Elder. Crochet would give Atlanta a third All-Star in the rotation and a source of overwhelming power to counterbalance the veteran savviness of the group around him.

He's not postseason proven yet, but stars are made on that stage. Atlanta can't get caught up in silly narratives about Crochet's lack of experience to date. He's here now, and he's one of the best pitchers in baseball. Getting him in a Braves uniform would be an absolute coup.

2. Bo Bichette, Toronto Blue Jays

The Braves' primary areas of need are right field and starting pitching, but there's a case to target shortstop help, too. Orlando Arcia has been on a slide all season after his improbable 2023 All-Star campaign. Atlanta needs more offense across the board, and Arcia isn't paid enough to prevent the Braves from acquiring his replacement.

Bo Bichette is quite possibly the hottest name at the trade deadline. The Toronto Blue Jays are once again falling short of expectations. Rather than rallying around Shohei Ohtani's move north, the Jays are dead last in a competitive AL East. As Baltimore, New York, and Boston all scramble for postseason spots, the Jays are left in a hopeless middle ground — not truly terrible, but nowhere close to contention.

It has been a pretty bad season for Bichette individually. He's slashing .226/.280/.327 with only four home runs in 297 at-bats, but the 26-year-old is a two-time All-Star with an impressive track record of production. This feels like a flukey stretch, perhaps exacerbated by the malaise settling over his Blue Jays team. He would benefit from a change of scenery, especially if he's joining an established contender like the Braves.

Bichette offers a sharp glove at short, impressive athleticism, and a crystal-clear eye at the plate. He has already led the American League in total hits twice. The contract situation is a bit tricky — Bichette's current deal expires after next season — but Atlanta should have the resources and motivation to hammer out an extension with such a talented player.

1. Luis Robert Jr., Chicago White Sox

The White Sox are, again, the worst team in baseball. That front office is going to clean house, which raises a few unexpected possibilities. Luis Robert Jr. is a 26-year-old All-Star who is arbitration eligible through the 2026 season. Athletes of his caliber, at his age, with his team-friendly contract situation, are rarely just... available. There for the highest bidder.

Chicago is going to charge and arm and a leg, but the Braves can afford such a price. Atlanta needs to operate with total aggression until the wheels fall off this dynastic core. Anthopoulos cannot ignore the future completely, to be clear, but sparing a few top prospects to add Robert to the lineup — at the front end of his prime, and without a huge financial obligation — feels like a no-brainer.

This has been a slow-moving season for Robert, who dealt with a hip injury in April. He's slashing .227/.301/.496 through 141 at-bats with 10 home runs and 19 RBI. This is only a temporary stupor for Robert, though. He's one of the best power hitters in baseball when he's right and the Braves need another source of runs with Matt Olson and Austin Riley in prolonged slumps.

Robert would go from a dire situation in Chicago to one of the most favorable setups in the MLB. The Braves' organizational culture ought to work wonders for Robert's development. He would learn the ropes from proven, winning vets on a team that actually enters each season with a clearly defined goal — that of winning the World Series. Why shouldn't Atlanta take the swing?