As the Atlanta Braves offseason reaches its final days, the search by the team and its fans for a new third baseman continues.
We have heard the rumblings about possible Atlanta Braves trades including Nolan Arenado and Kris Bryant, both currently top third basemen in the league. The possibility of a trade including one of these two has become less and less likely as we move closer to spring training, however, forcing analysts and fans to look elsewhere for other options.
Kyle Seager is one trade candidate who could help the Braves fill the gap some feel they have at third base. But like every trade possibility, there are pros and cons to the idea.
Seager is a bit older than Arenado (28.9) and Bryant (28.1) at 32 and has already been in the league for 9 years with the Seattle Mariners. Both of these things, as well as his personal stats and achievements, factor into his trade outlook being a bit different from these other players.
Seager was an all-star in 2014 and finished in the top 20 of MVP voting in both 2014 and 2016. His WAR has risen and fallen a few times over his career, hitting a high of 6.9 in 2016.
He also won a gold glove in 2014. This is a plus considering the Braves current emphasis on strong infield defense.
Things since that 2016 season haven’t gone so well for Seager. Since 2016, he has only averaged 1.9 WAR each season. His OPS has also taken a bit of a dive in this time.
Still, Seager puts up decent enough numbers to consider him in the list of trade possibilities for the Braves and could still add value to the lineup.
So, there are really two major questions to consider when it comes to deciding if Seager is what the team needs.
- Would Seager be a better option than Johan Camargo?
- Is the prospect cost worth it?
He is no longer discussed with the likes of Arenado and Bryant at the top. But I’ll be taking the time to explore the idea that he could still be the most serviceable option for the Braves in 2020.