Atlanta Braves Trade Rumors: Braves Must Make Strong Push for Zack Greinke

If the Atlanta Braves want to consider themselves serious World Series contenders they need to make a bold move to land an ace before the trade deadline. Zack Greinke of the Milwaukee Brewers would certainly fall in that elite category.

The Braves are one of several teams with interest in Greinke, according to Tom Haudricourt of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. The Los Angeles Dodgers are the only other National League team listed to have been keeping tabs on the starter.

It would mark the second time the Braves and Dodgers have been involved in discussions for the same player. Atlanta was close to a deal for Ryan Dempster of the Chicago Cubs, but couldn't complete a deal and now general manager Frank Wren says the team has moved on.

In reality, the Braves probably lucked out that Dempster didn't agree to the trade. While he wouldn't have been a terrible addition, he's nothing more than a mid-rotation pitcher and acquiring him probably would have stopped the pursuit for Greinke.

Dempster is also a free agent at season's end, which means the Braves would have given up a solid prospect in Randall Delgado for a potential rental. That's a major risk to take for a pitcher whose peripheral numbers say he's due for regression in the second half.

Greinke, on the other hand, would totally change the dynamics of Atlanta's rotation. As it stands right now, the Braves have several pitchers capable of filling the No. 2 through No. 5 spots, but nobody has stood out as the go-to guy.

Brandon Beachy seemed well on his way to assuming that role before going down with an elbow injury. Nobody has stepped up in his absence, leaving a hole at the top.

There was a time when Tommy Hanson was slated to fill that role for a decade or more, but he's struggled to live up to expectations this season. He has a lackluster 4.50 ERA through 20 starts and appears better suited for a spot lower in the pecking order.

The Braves have a couple veteran options in Tim Hudson and Ben Sheets. Hudson is as reliable as they come, but doesn't have ace stuff at this point in his career. And Sheets, who has pitched 12 scoreless innings since making his comeback, can't be counted on heavily due to his injury history.

While Mike Minor and the aforementioned Delgado have both shown glimpses of potential early in their careers, both are suited for the bottom of the rotation right now. Jair Jurrjens is a mess and probably belongs in Triple-A.

So it's clear the Braves need a top-tier guy to lead the way. Adding Greinke to the mix would allow everybody else to slide down one peg in the rotation to a spot where they are more comfortable, especially come playoff time.

Unlike Dempster, Greinke would be worth giving up one of the franchise's best prospects. He's also a free agent in the offseason, however, which means the Braves have to tread carefully unless an extension agreement is in place.

It's Chipper Jones' last season and there would be no better way to send him out than winning another championship. The Braves won a title in the legendary third baseman's first full season, and it would be fitting to cap it off by getting back on top.

Without an ace like Greinke, the chances of that happening are marginal at best. With him, the Braves suddenly become a top contender. He's the only pitcher left on the market with that type of team-changing ability now that Cole Hamels has re-signed.

Although there's risk involved any time a team makes a blockbuster trade, it's going to take a bold move for the Braves to recapture some of that 1990s magic in Jones' final year.

That makes the potential reward outweigh the risk.