More than anything, Braves need bodies at the trade deadline
As the injuries really begin to take their toll on the Braves, it’s fair to wonder what kind of moves Alex Anthopoulos should make ahead of the trade deadline. Going all-in with so many pieces on the shelf and an already weak farm system feels like a mistake, but not giving this team a fair shake by adding while still leading the NL Wild Card race shouldn’t be an option either.
If we’ve learned anything about Alex Anthopoulos over the years, we know he’s going to be aggressively trying to upgrade the roster over the next week. That doesn’t mean some blockbuster additions are coming down the pike, but the Braves roster can be upgraded significantly without giving up any top prospects, a lot like it was back in 2021.
With Michael Harris II recently moved to the 60-day IL, we now know the Braves will be without their star centerfielder for at least three more weeks. Ozzie Albies also won’t be able to return until the last couple of weeks of the season at the earliest, and who knows how soon Max Fried will be cleared to pitch again. Not to mention, Ronald Acuña Jr. and Spencer Strider are out for the season.
Replacing those guys is impossible. Those are five All-Star caliber pieces. However, replacing their replacements should be fairly easy.
The Braves need several starters, and they could probably upgrade their entire bench outside of Travis d’Arnaud. As of now, this is a starting lineup that features three of the worst qualified hitters in the game.
