With less than two weeks before the Major League trade deadline, the Atlanta Braves' pitching situation must be addressed, in one way or another.
There is little doubt the Atlanta Braves will seek roster upgrades before the August 3 trade deadline. Despite sitting in first place in the National League East, and a 4-2 record since the All-Star break, the club has been treading water since being a season-best 24 games over .500 (45-21) on June 7, following a three-game sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Since then, the Braves are 14-21 and the lead in the division has shrunk from 9.5 games over the Philadelphia Phillies to four games entering Thursday.
The reason for the slide, at least in part, can be attributed to the inability of the starting rotation to pitch deep into games. In those first 66 games, Braves starting pitchers logged the sixth most innings in Major League Baseball, with a 3.35 ERA (fourth best in MLB).
In the last 35 games, Braves starters have pitched the second fewest innings with a 5.42 ERA, (fifth worst in the Majors). Despite those diminishing numbers, the bullpen has posted a respectable 3.68 ERA in that span.
Internal options for help are also waning with the recent setback for Hurston Waldrep and the cynicism on the likelihood of either Spencer Strider or Spencer Schwellenbach being a factor for the remainder of the season.
The question now is how will Braves general manager Alex Anthopoulos address his pitching needs before the deadline?
The obvious guess is that he will attempt to acquire at least one starting pitcher. However, during a recent radio interview on 680 The Fan in Atlanta, when asked about adding a “playoff-caliber starter” Anthopoulos said, “there’s a lot of ways to skin a cat.”
Anthopoulos referenced teams in recent years that have won the World Series with strong bullpens, i.e. the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2024, or even his own Braves team in 2021. Should a starting pitcher not be the best fit, Anthopoulos believes he could also address his rotation by bolstering the bullpen.
The Braves could explore a reunion with 2021 postseason hero A.J. Minter. The left-hander has returned from injury this year to post a 1.71 ERA in 21 games with the New York Mets. The Mets have long been out of contention, but trading within the division, especially with a rival, may prove difficult.
While many teams salivate over the idea of adding arms like Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers or Sonny Gray of the Boston Red Sox, there’s no guarantee those teams will be willing to move either pitcher, especially given Boston’s recent 15-game winning streak, which has moved them into the American League’s third wild card spot.
If acquiring Skubal or Gray isn’t an option and Anthopoulos does decide to add a starter, one potential fit could be Michael Wacha. While he doesn’t draw the same attention as the other names, Wacha has been reliable for the last place Kansas City Royals. In 20 starts, the right-hander has a 3.66 ERA with 125.1 innings pitched, the third most in the Majors.
Wacha’s 15 starts with at least six innings pitched this year are also more than any pitcher on the Braves’ roster. His quality starts and past postseason experience could make him desirable. However, unlike Minter, Wacha isn’t on an expiring deal. He’s making $18 million this year and owed $14 million next year, his age 36 season, with a club option for 2028.
Whatever happens in the coming days, Anthopoulos has made it clear he will make the best deal to improve the Braves and all options are on the table.
