The Braves didn’t make the high profile move for a starter at the trade deadline like most hoped, but if you watched today’s game, it may be a blessing in disguise. Lucas Giolito was one of the better starters available, garnering two top prospects for his services over the next two months. In his second start for the Angels, the Braves racked up nine runs in fewer than four innings.
The truth is there weren’t many places for the Braves to turn on the starting pitching front, and it would have required a massive overpay to do so. In a year or so, we will be thanking Alex Anthopoulos for not jumping the gun, but is that enough for the Braves to be considered “winners” at the trade deadline?
Atlanta Braves
Owners of the best record in baseball, the Braves didn’t do much. Then again, did they need much? We will know more in the coming weeks, as Max Friedand Kyle Wright return from the injured list, and in October, when the bullpen gets tested. The team has a comfortable lead in the National League East. Nicky Lopez aids the bench. Brad Hand and Pierce Johnson deepened the bullpen. It’s a snoozer, alright, but Atlanta was good enough to slumber.
I understand where this is coming from. The Braves didn’t do anything sexy, but I would still consider them winners at the trade deadline.
Not because I am overly confident in what they did accomplish, but because the rest of the National League didn’t make any significant improvements either. The Braves were the best team in the NL by a wide margin coming into the trade deadline, and nothing has changed afterward.
In fact, with Max Fried scheduled to come back, you could argue the gap is much bigger than ever before, and I’m not even accounting for the potential return of Kyle Wright or the few additions the team did make. The Braves didn’t overpay for anyone, they improved on the margins, and they remain head and shoulders ahead of the rest of the league. That’s a winning trade deadline if you ask me.
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