Atlanta general manager and president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos is almost always looking to add pitching and bench depth at the trade deadline, and this year is no exception, despite the Braves having the best record and largest division lead in the majors.
Last year’s Division Series loss to Philadelphia was a reminder of how quickly things can change due to a suddenly stalled offense or injuries and illness to a couple of key pitchers, as was the case last October with a flu-weakened Max Fried and Spencer Strider coming back from an oblique strain.
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Anthopoulos got off to an early start on the trade deadline by making deals for right-hander Pierce Johnson from the Rockies and lefty Taylor Hearn from the Rangers, but the Braves aren’t done. They would like to add at least one more bullpen arm, another bat to strengthen the bench, and possibly a starting pitcher to help solidify what’s been a piecemeal situation at the back of the rotation for most of the season.
With that in mind, I came up with some trade proposals that could fill one or all of their needs, and ran them by The Athletic’s resident expert, former major-league GM Jim Bowden, to see if he thought they might be doable deals.
Braves get: OF Adam Duvall
Red Sox get: RH reliever Dereck Rodríguez, 2B/3B prospect Geraldo Quintero and C prospect Drake Baldwin
Duvall is an impending free agent who can certainly help the Braves, giving them a platoon option in left field — neither Eddie Rosario nor Kevin Pillar has produced against right-handers this season — and a solid backup center-field option if they want to give Michael Harris II an occasional rest day down the stretch. They wouldn’t have to worry about team chemistry, as Duvall has been one of the most popular and respected Braves within the clubhouse in recent years and was twice traded to Atlanta at the deadline (in 2018 and 2021).
Duvall missed two months this season with a wrist injury and struggled in his first month back, but had five extra-base hits, nine RBIs and a .799 OPS in his last 11 games before Tuesday, and for the season he had an .895 OPS with 14 extra-base hits (seven homers) in 111 plate appearances against righties.
The Red Sox have outfield depth after the emergence of center fielder Jarren Duran, and are looking to add pitching. Rodríguez, who was designated for assignment Monday, has experience in the American League after spending parts of the past two seasons with Minnesota. Quintero is a top-20 Braves prospect, an undersized switch hitter with plus speed and good bat-to-ball skills, but no power. Baldwin is a strong defensive catcher who has nine homers and a .756 OPS at High-A Rome.
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Bowden: I think Duvall would be an excellent acquisition for the Braves; he’d be the perfect platoon partner with Rosario in left field. Braves fans remember Duvall winning a Gold Glove Award (in right field) with them just two years ago, while hitting 38 home runs and leading the National League with 113 RBIs. However, I’m told the Braves are happy with Pillar in that role, and with the Red Sox just 1 1/2 games back in the wild-card race, they appear to want to hold on to Duvall at this point. I’m also told the Braves are not pursuing him. I love the idea though.
Braves get: RH starter Lance Lynn
White Sox get: RH reliever Dereck Rodríguez and RHP prospect Seth Keller
While Lynn has had an undeniably awful season in the second year of a two-year, $38 million contract with the White Sox, he still does two things that make him attractive to a team looking for a back-of-the-rotation starter for the stretch drive: He pitches lots of innings and gets lot of strikeouts. His 6.18 ERA and majors-leading 28 homers allowed are alarming, but Lynn has 139 strikeouts in 115 innings, and the analytics suggest in a more neutral ballpark with a good defense, he’ll fare better and more closely resemble his form from the past four seasons, when he had a 3.42 ERA.
The Braves aren’t among the 10 teams on his no-trade clause, and their personnel, pitching environment and advanced analytics could produce a late-season uptick from the stocky right-hander, who in his past six starts has 53 strikeouts with 12 walks in 37 2/3 innings. That included 16 strikeouts in seven innings at Seattle and 11 strikeouts in seven scoreless innings of one-hit ball July 6 versus Toronto.
In addition to the financial relief — Lynn is making $18.5 million this year — the White Sox would get a serviceable reliever with contractual control beyond this season in Rodríguez, and a top-20 Braves prospect in Keller, a 19-year-old former high school shortstop/pitcher who was a sixth-round draft pick in 2022. The undersized right-hander has a mid-90s fastball with plenty of upside as he matures and gets stronger. Keller got off to a terrific start this year, posting a 1.08 ERA and .490 opponents’ OPS with 23 strikeouts and three walks in 25 innings at Low-A Augusta, but had a stint on the injured list in mid-May for forearm soreness, and has struggled in his past four outings since returning.
Bowden: Lynn would be a solid back-of-the-rotation innings-eater to help provide starting pitching depth for the last two months of the season, but barring injuries to others, I don’t see a pathway for him making the Braves’ postseason roster. In terms of the expected return, I think if the Braves were willing to absorb his entire salary then this trade proposal is reasonable.
Braves get: RH reliever Michael Fulmer
Cubs get: RH reliever Dereck Rodríguez and C prospect Drake Baldwin
Fulmer is an impending free agent who’s on a one-year, $4 million contract. After posting a 7.84 ERA in 23 appearances through May 27, Fulmer has a 1.50 ERA in his past 21 outings, holding opponents to a .169 average and .568 OPS with 24 strikeouts, 13 walks and two homers in 24 innings.
Rodríguez could be attractive to the Cubs because of the contractual control, and the Braves could sweeten the pot with another mid-level prospect if the Cubs aren’t interested in Baldwin, or possibly in addition to Baldwin.
Bowden: As long as the Cubs are sellers, this trade idea seems to work for both sides. What time should we call the press conference?
Braves get: LH reliever Brent Suter
Rockies get: INF prospect Braden Shewmake, or RHP prospect Seth Keller and C prospect Drake Baldwin
The Braves expect Dylan Lee to return from the IL soon but can’t be certain about his effectiveness after missing 2 1/2 months for shoulder inflammation, and they need to avoid overusing A.J. Minter after he returns in the next week from a shoulder strain. That’s why Suter, an experienced lefty on an expiring contract, could be a perfect fit for the Braves. He has a 2.62 ERA with 37 strikeouts and only two homers allowed in 44 2/3 innings, despite pitching at Coors Field. Suter’s exit-velocity and hard-hit rates rank in the 99th percentile, and he has a 2.13 ERA, a .522 opponents’ OPS and a .161 batting average against in 18 appearances away from Denver. The 33-year-old is on a one-year, $3 million deal and was activated last week after an IL stint for an oblique strain.
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Shewmake, 25, is a former first-round pick and a top-10 Braves prospect who competed for the starting shortstop job in spring training before the Braves decided to go with veteran Orlando Arcia. A plus defender at shortstop and solid at second base, Shewmake is tall and slender, still working to build muscle and become a more consistent hitter. He’s added some power in the past couple of years and has 11 homers in 75 games in his second season at Triple A.
Bowden: I love the vastly different look — in terms of arm angle, velocity and delivery — that Suter would provide the Braves out of the bullpen; it would only boost the hard-throwers around him. Suter can also eat important innings when needed in middle relief. In terms of the proposed deal, I think Keller straight-up should be enough to land Suter as long as Keller is healthy and the MRI is clean, which could be an issue based on his recent struggles.
GO DEEPER
MLB trade deadline cheat sheet: What to watch for all 30 teams and top targets by position
(Top photo of Michael Fulmer: Matt Marton / USA Today)