With the Atlanta Braves in a weird spot heading into the 2021 MLB trade deadline, they could simply decide to do nothing and see how it plays out.
It seems like every trade deadline we get all worked up about the possibilities of what could happen, but in reality, not much ever happens. That’s why it’s very possible we see the Atlanta Braves do nothing this week.
I’ve said it over and over again, but the moves to save this season needed to happen a month ago. We’ve known for a while now that Marcell Ozuna wouldn’t be back this year and that the bullpen was trash.
How many games have we lost over just the last month or so because we’re missing a big bat in the lineup and the bullpen can’t hold leads — or at least keep deficits close — late in games?
This “wait till we get to the deadline and see where we are” approach from Alex Anthopoulos has killed this season.
Now with two months left, the Braves are 5 games back of the New York Mets for the division, which is their only hope of making the postseason since they’re 8 games out of the NL Wild Card.
The Braves essentially have to win four of five games against the Mets this week to make a real case as buyers before the trade deadline.
If we’ve learned anything from this season, we know the likely scenario is the Braves will either win two or three games and keep us in that limbo where we can’t decide if they’re going to make a run or not.
And that’s why you have to consider the option that the Braves do nothing at the trade deadline.
There are far too many teams out there with the same needs who will be willing to give up more than the Braves to win right now.
The San Diego Padres might just take everyone.
With the way this season has gone, you can’t really expect AA to go all-in at the deadline in hopes that this team turns things around.
Let’s say they trade for the biggest bat and reliever on the market right now — how certain are you this team will be able to come back and win the division and win a World Series?
I’m just not very confident that will happen — maybe the division because nobody seems to want to win it, but certainly not the World Series.
There are just too many holes on this team and not enough trade pieces to get what they need.
That’s the one thing a lot of Braves fans are overlooking, the farm system is on the decline and they don’t have a lot of intriguing prospects to pull off a big deal.
Any big trade they make would have to include Cristian Pache, Drew Waters, Shea Langeliers, or Michael Harris.
While I’ve been adamant that at some point AA has to step up and give up some top prospects to put this team over the top, now doesn’t feel like the right time.
Do I think this team as constructed can win the division — yes — mainly because of what I said earlier.
So why not just hold on to those prospects and see if this team can get going. The schedule is a bit easier the last two months, so there is an opportunity to go on a run — especially with some help coming from players who have been injured.
In the end, I think AA will make a couple of small moves for a middle reliever and a bat, but nothing crazy. And that’s probably the right decision based on what this team has shown us in 2021.