ESPN's Buster Olney Suggests Perplexing Offseason Move for Braves

The rumor mill is starting to get going as the regular season reaches its final month. While joining 680 The Fan on Tuesday, MLB insider from ESPN, Buster Olney, suggested that the Atlanta Braves could target All-Star shortstop Trevor Story, should he be available.

Story has an opt-out clause after this season. Should he stay in Boston, he'll be guaranteed $25 million a year for the next two years, and he has a club option worth the same amount.

Olney forsees the shortstop position being a focus of the Braves this offseason, aiming for an offensive upgrade that can also provide competent defense. That's where Story would come in.

This season, Story is putting on a solid showing for the Red Sox, batting .260 with a .744 OPS, 23 home runs, 86 RBIs and 3.5 bWAR. It's certainly better than the production they have been getting so far this season.

Nick Allen provides Gold Glove-level defense, but his bat might be too much of a con long term.

In theory, there is a good pitch here. However, there is one sticking point when it comes to this suggestion, and that is the Braves just acquired a shortstop, Ha-Seong Kim, who has a player option for next season. He's also already getting a chance to be the everyday shortstop.

In his debut Tuesday night, he went 2-for-4. So far, so good.

If Kim decides to test the free agent market after this season, then maybe the Braves will go after an option like Story, if he's available. However, they'd likely prefer if Kim stuck around. He comes at a price tag of $16 million, while Story could be between $20 million and $23.333 million, based on what Olney declared a fair contract.

Kim doesn't have the same bat as Story, but he brings good defense and speed, and still brings an improved bat into the equation. Given that Kim has struggled to stay healthy this season, he's probably going to exercise this option.

Based on what Olney said is the fair market value for Story, he might be better off staying in Boston and seeing if he gets the club option in 2028. Olney said a reasonable contract would be three years at either $60 million or $70 million. With the club option, Story would make $75 million.

It's also hard to imagine him opting out unless he thinks he can do better than what he would make if he opted in. So, expect him to push for more than $25 million per season. These projections are potentially a pay cut.

Signing Trevor Story is great in theory. A lot of things seem to need to align for it to happen.

More From Atlanta Braves on SI