Atlanta Braves: 3 surprise moves that could happen by next week

The trade deadline can be the craziest time of the year for baseball transactions, but for the Atlanta Braves, the end of Spring Training could come close.

There are numerous battles still going on to determine who breaks camp to head north for the Atlanta Braves. This season, those decisions may be more interesting than usual — for a variety of reasons:

• the need for quality depth in both the dugout and in the organization
• lack of general 40-man roster flexibility
• a vision toward the future

Getting the best players for this roster won’t be easy… even when some of them have easily exceeded expectations.  So unusual efforts may have to be made to make room for them.

Right now, if the Braves needed room on their 40-man list, there’s a fair chance that either Victor Arano or Abraham Almonte might be the first ones outrighted. But losing players is often not ideal, and there could be other things that Atlanta could do to make some room as part of some late Spring surprises that could happen.

3. Look for a trade

Due to the financial issues many teams are facing, several clubs were simply unable to get the players they were hoping to acquire during the off-season.

At this point, some of those issues are popping up and the best way to resolve them may be via trade.

The Atlanta Braves have needs, too, but it’s not at the major league level: it’s more about a thin group of minor league prospects.

The trick may come down to the question of how badly a possible trade partner might wish to win in 2021.

Consider two Central Division teams: the Indians and the Reds. Neither has any money. Both have needs that the Braves could help with…

• CLEVELAND – no true centerfielder. In fact, they’ve added new arrival Amed Rosario to the CF depth chart… and he’s a shortstop.
• CINCY – no true shortstop (or center fielder, for that matter).

Atlanta Braves need to move on from Ender.

It’s time to commit to Christian Pache in centerfield. That said, the Braves really have no place for Ender Inciarte and they’d almost certainly rather keep somebody else in his place to be that 4th outfielder — whether Phil Ervin or another warm body.

As for Johan Camargo, we’ve discussed this on the podcast: he needs regular ABs and he almost certainly also needs another voice to tell him why his bat is flailing. And he’s cheap to keep.

Atlanta might be willing (at this point) to carry most of Inciarte’s salary to move him elsewhere. Camargo — at just $1.36 million — could be traded to obtain a decent prospect in exchange for a check to cover his entire ride for 2021.

This is pure speculation: there’s no chatter in the air about this at all. At the same time, the needs for both Ohio teams is evident — and with some better defense, each could be considered contenders for a Wild Card position this year.

Meanwhile, Atlanta could definitely use a couple of real prospects currently in the vicinity of minor league A-ball levels. It would be like buying a prospect and bolstering the farm system for future benefit… and players like Camargo and Inciarte would have a chance to play regular innings.

Late trades are not foreign to the Braves. Matt Joyce was picked up late in the 2019 Grapefruit League schedule… and Atlanta fans won’t forget the Craig Kimbrel/B.J. Upton deal on April 5th, 2015 (though that deal happened for much different reasons).

It could happen.