Prior to the MLB trade deadline in 2024, the Atlanta Braves had a lot on their plate. Ronald Acuña Jr. and Spencer Strider, two of their greatest players, both lost to injuries. Alex Anthopoulos, the general manager of the Braves, was left to try to replace their output by the trade deadline.
Atlanta left a lot to be desired, even if they were proactive in their negotiations and executed a good trade to get Jorge Soler from the San Francisco Giants. Atlanta probably did not go above and above in their quest for the World Series this year. This season, Anthopoulos is likely to have a number of serious regrets.
3. Anthopoulos will be sorry he didn’t bring in a primary pitcher.
The starting rotation was the most obvious place where the Braves should aim to improve. Atlanta had to find a trade partner capable of sending them a starter before the trade deadline expired, and it was almost painfully evident.
There were a lot of possibilities available, and the best component was Jack Flaherty of the Tigers. Flaherty was acquired by the Dodgers in exchange for two top-30 prospects, one of whom was a top-10 player with significant upside. The fact that they didn’t could come back to haunt them because Atlanta could have easily matched that contract.
This year, the top of their rotation has been exceptionally good. Reynaldo Lopez has the potential to be just as good as Chris Sale and Max Fried, provided he can make a full recovery and rejoin the club. Simply said, a club going into the final stretch with four solid starters and a major question mark at the fifth place is not common.
We’re giving them a little leeway here because some of their best prospects have shown promise. The rotation’s future belongs to players like Spencer Schwellenbach, who has shown some potential this year. Even still, Anthopoulos ought to have made the risky move of adding a starter at the deadline.
2. Anthopoulos will be sorry he didn’t bolster the bullpen.
Anyone who has ever seen baseball over the last stretch of the season understands how crucial the bullpen is to the team’s success. This is the reason that all clubs in contention, while appearing to have a strong bullpen, are searching for relievers. One can never have too many arms with great leverage.
Although Atlanta’s bullpen is strong, it could have been even better. At the deadline, there were a ton of names available, and Atlanta didn’t end up signing any of them. Now, this isn’t saying that Tanner Scott should have been acquired from the Marlins by the Braves by taking out a farm loan. That would have been a recipe for disaster for years to come, given the state of their farm sector. However, Atlanta ought to have been able to add someone to the bullpen.
Now that the season is in the balance in September and October, they may have to give the ball to players who aren’t yet ready to play. If Alex Anthopoulos’ season is saved by a lackluster reliever, considering he had the option to add one at the trade deadline but choose not to, that would be a disastrous outcome.
1. Anthopoulos will be sorry he did not add a center fielder.
This season, the Atlanta Braves have had some difficulty with depth in the infield. To be honest, they have generally had trouble with depth. At times, Orlando Arcia has faced difficulties, and Nacho Alvarez Jr. doesn’t seem to be the lifesaver that was anticipated when he was brought up. That’s not to argue that Alvarez isnt talented, either. That’s not what I’m saying at all. Alvarez could become a famous person in the future. However, the truth is that Alvarez is currently starting in the lineup while Ozzie Albies is out for the remainder of the game. Right now, Atlanta needs someone to produce.
They added one position player, to the outfield. Even if they still have a lot of stars in their roster, they would have greatly benefited from adding more depth to their infield. They will now have to rely on Albies making a speedy recovery from the injured list and regaining his full strength. They will have an even larger void in the infield if he doesn’t.
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