Atlanta Braves beloved Freddie Freeman…
…has not seen action in an MLB game since June 17th when he suffered an injury to his wrist, the same injury that kept him out of 30 or so games when he was 19 years of age. The presence of Freddie Freeman in the lineup has been missed, however the team has kept on trucking at the same pace going 1 game above .500 during that period.
During Freddie Freeman’s absence, Kelly Johnson has received the bulk of 1b starts and though he’s done a fair job (.675 OPS), it’s most definitely not the caliber we’ve come to expect from FF5, who is sporting an .887 OPS on the year. Needless to say, the Braves miss Freddie and are looking forward to his added presence back in the lineup.
As the trade deadline approaches, the Braves will be evaluating the club’s performance to determine whether or not they should buy, sell, or do both. In this scenario, we will discuss the buying stance for the club. Reason Freeman is mentioned above is simple; anything the Braves decide to buy at the trade deadline will have Freeman’s presence in the lineup factored in, which moves Kelly Johnson back into a platoon with Jonny Gomes in left-field. Let’s take a look at the production around the horn and gauge what the Braves could be in the market for at the trade deadline.
Click next, my friends!