The Braves’ strategy leading up to the trade deadline has drastically shifted due to injuries to their top players, Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr.
Surprisingly, Atlanta’s rotation has thrived without Strider, thanks to stellar offseason additions. Chris Sale has rediscovered his form in Atlanta, pitching like an All-Star and potentially contending for the NL Cy Young award. However, for Sale to secure his first Cy Young, he will have to outperform his teammate Reynaldo Lopez. Leading the MLB in ERA through 13 starts, Lopez has been the most impactful free-agent signing this season, providing an unexpected boost for the Braves after transitioning to a starter for the first time in five years.
The offense has been a different story. While the Braves’ bats have shown improvement recently, they struggled for nearly two months, making them one of the weakest offenses during that period. Though the situation may not remain dire all season, it’s clear the lineup has significant gaps that can be addressed at the trade deadline.
It’s not a question of if Alex Anthopoulos will make moves, but rather what kind of deals he’ll pursue. With expanded playoffs, there are fewer sellers, but marquee names will still change teams, potentially altering baseball history, as seen last year with the Texas Rangers’ aggressive trade deadline acquisitions.
However, Anthopoulos is unlikely to seek blockbuster trades. General managers must balance immediate success with long-term consequences. Many teams have made franchise-altering mistakes chasing short-term gains, and Anthopoulos is well aware of this.
“Consider the 2015 Blue Jays,” Ken Rosenthal writes for The Athletic. “They appeared ‘all-in,’ acquiring Troy Tulowitzki, David Price, Ben Revere, and Mark Lowe in separate trades. But even then, Anthopoulos resisted offers for top prospects, saving money to sign 16-year-old Vladimir Guerrero Jr. internationally.”
Anthopoulos, experienced in these matters, learned from his aggressive mistakes in Toronto. While his nature as a GM remains proactive, he’s honed a more measured approach in Atlanta.
The Braves have a bright young core poised for World Series contention for years to come. There’s no need to jeopardize this by making drastic changes and going all-in during a season without their two best players.
The World Series could return to Atlanta in 2024. They achieved the unthinkable in 2021 without Ronald Acuña Jr., but did so without blockbuster trades. Expect Anthopoulos to follow a similar strategy this trade deadline.
