The Atlanta Braves made a smart decision at this year's trade deadline.
The Atlanta Braves had one of the quieter trade deadlines among contenders in MLB. Rather than adding All-Star talent, the team added around the margins, a clear signal of how much trust president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos has in the core he has built.
Not every contender operates this way, but Anthopoulos has earned the benefit of the doubt given his track record of finding value where others do not look.
However, one of those additions, outfielder Lane Thomas, is beginning to look like a major difference maker. The Braves traded right-hander Lucas Braun, a top-10 prospect in their system, along with another minor league left-hander for Thomas and depth pitcher Bailey Falter, who Atlanta currently has stashed at Triple-A.
It was not a massive investment, but it does carry some risk given that Thomas is a rental piece. He signed a one-year, prove-it deal with the Royals this past winter and will be a free agent again this offseason.
Thomas's job upon arriving was straightforward. Demolish left-handed pitching and form a dominant platoon with Mike Yastrzemski in left field. That vision was on full display during Atlanta's win Wednesday against the New York Mets, as both Thomas and Yastrzemski homered in a 6-3 victory.
Thomas started the game with the Mets going with southpaw Zac Thornton and tagged him for a solo shot in the bottom of the second inning. When New York eventually turned to right-hander Dedniel Nunez in the seventh, Weiss turned to Yastrzemski, who launched a solo home run of his own.
The platoon worked exactly as designed, with each player exploiting the matchup they were built for. To see the tandem operate so flawlessly this early into Thomas's tenure in Atlanta is an encouraging sign for what this outfield group can do in October.
Thomas is off to a strong start in seven appearances for Atlanta, posting an .853 OPS since joining the club. Atlanta's outfield situation looked like a liability just a few months ago when Ronald Acuna Jr. and Michael Harris were both dealing with injury setbacks.
Harris never landed on the 10-day injured list but was often limited to designated hitter duties, while Acuna spent two separate stints on the IL with a recurring left hamstring strain.
Now as October nears, the outfield looks like one of the team's biggest strengths rather than a liability, and Thomas deserves a share of the credit for that transformation.
