House That Hank Built
Fansided

The Atlanta Braves should not try to trade for Francisco Lindor

By Jake Mastroianni

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 08: Francisco Lindor #12 of the Cleveland Indians looks on after hitting a solo home run in the fifth inning against the Minnesota Twins during the game at Target Field on September 08, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - SEPTEMBER 08: Francisco Lindor #12 of the Cleveland Indians looks on after hitting a solo home run in the fifth inning against the Minnesota Twins during the game at Target Field on September 08, 2019 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images) /
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ATLANTA, GEORGIA – OCTOBER 09: Phil  Niekro shakes hands with Mike  Soroka #40 of the Atlanta Braves after throwing out the ceremonial first pitch prior to game five of the National League Division Series between the Atlanta Braves and the St. Louis Cardinals at SunTrust Park on October 09, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GEORGIA – OCTOBER 09: Phil  Niekro shakes hands with Mike  Soroka #40 of the Atlanta Braves after throwing out the ceremonial first pitch prior to game five of the National League Division Series between the Atlanta Braves and the St. Louis Cardinals at SunTrust Park on October 09, 2019 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /

Bigger issue than shortstop

Let me start by saying that shortstop is not the reason the Braves have failed to advance in the postseason the last two years.

Well, maybe it was part of the problem in 2018 because Swanson was injured — but we weren’t beating the Los Angeles Dodgers that year even with a healthy Swanson at shortstop.

What is currently holding the Braves back is a lack of dominant starting pitching atop the starting rotation.

I’ve been beating this drum all offseason and I’ll continue to do so, but they have to find a 1-2-3 similar to what the Houston Astros, Washington Nationals, and Los Angeles Dodgers have.

That’s why there is so much talk about the free agent pitching market this offseason.

As much offense as there is in the game right now with the home runs being hit, teams are realizing that the best way to win is to counteract that with elite starting pitching.

You look at the Nationals who just won a World Series on the back of five or six pitchers, and that becomes the new blueprint for how to win the postseason.

Right now the Braves have one guy like that in Mike Soroka that you can trust to give you a great outing every time he takes the mound … and that’s it.

Now maybe Max Fried takes another step next year, and maybe Mike Foltynewicz has finally figured it out, or maybe one of the young prospects puts it all together.

But that’s a lot of maybes.

The Braves have to find a way to get some frontline starters atop the rotation, and by trading for Lindor and signing Donaldson that limits what they can do in that area.

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