Braves' Final Guide, Ideal Targets for 2024 MLB Trade Deadline
The Atlanta Braves front office has done a nice job finding complementary pieces on the trade market in recent years, most notably during their 2021 World Series run when they acquired ALCS MVP Eddie Rosario and World Series MVP Jorge Soler at the deadline.
The outfield still looks like the biggest area of need in the wake of Ronald Acuña Jr. suffering a season-ending torn ACL and with Michael Harris II also sidelined, though losing Ozzie Albies to a fractured wrist has also created a question mark at second base.
This year's trade deadline is on Tuesday, July 30. Teams will have until 6 p.m. ET on the day to put the finishing touches to their roster for the stretch run.
Ahead we have taken a closer look at their buyer vs. seller decision while also highlighting a pair of ideal targets to address their roster needs.
Buyers or Sellers?
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The Braves are going to be buyers, and while they don't have the deepest farm system, they have not been shy about using their ability to develop pitching talent as a means of building out trade packages with MLB-ready arms.
The Ozzie Albies injury could put them in the market for some infield depth, even with the recent addition of veteran Whit Merrifield, but the priority will be finding an outfield bat to help ease the loss of Ronald Acuña Jr. and help wait out the return of Michael Harris II.
Reliever Pierce Johnson and utility infielder Nicky Lopez were the notable additions at the deadline last year, and in years past the focus has been more on complementary pieces than any true blockbuster deals.
Will that be the approach once again this summer?
Ideal Target: 2B Brendan Rodgers, Colorado Rockies
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Brendan Rodgers has had a tough time staying healthy throughout his career, and that's part of the reason he has never quite lived up to being the No. 3 overall pick in the 2015 draft and the first high school player off the board that year.
The 27-year-old has only topped 110 games in a season once in his career, and the result was a 4.3-WAR performance and NL Gold Glove honors at second base in 2022, so he has been a productive player when he has a chance to settle into a regular role.
This year, he is hitting .261/.305/.384 with 23 extra-base hits and 0.5 WAR in 84 games, but he could be a nice buy-low pickup to help plug the hole created by Ozzie Albies suffering a fractured wrist.
With club control through 2025, he would be more than just a two-month rental, and could serve in a super-utility role or as a potential upgrade over underperforming shortstop Orlando Arcia if the team wants to give him a look back at the position where he started his pro career.
Ideal Target: OF Brent Rooker, Oakland Athletics
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With Matt Olson and Austin Riley falling short of last year's level of production and Ronald Acuña Jr. watching from the sidelines, the Braves could use a true impact bat to bolster the offense for the stretch run.
Oakland Athletics slugger Brent Rooker fits the bill.
The 29-year-old launched 30 home runs and earned a spot on the All-Star team during a breakout 2023 season, and he has backed it up with even better numbers this year, posting a 169 OPS+ with 23 home runs and 69 RBI in 88 games.
The late-bloomer has club control through the 2027 season, so he won't come cheap, but he would give the Atlanta offense a major middle-of-the-order boost.
He could also eventually serve as a replacement for Marcell Ozuna, who is in the final guaranteed season of his four-year, $65 million deal, though he does have a $16 million club option for 2025.
The Braves and Athletics have gotten together on trades in the past, most notably deals to bring Matt Olson and Sean Murphy to Atlanta, so there is a working relationship in place between the two front offices.
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