There wasn't a team that needed the reset from the All-Star break as badly as the Atlanta Braves did. Between all the injury issues they have been dealing with and how poorly they were playing, everyone needed a break to regroup and try to keep the season from spiraling out of control. Thankfully, it looks like the right players have started to wake up, and Atlanta put together a convincing series win over the Rangers to start the second half.
However, the work is only getting started now. Players should (in theory) be returning from injury soon, and the trade deadline has a real chance to make or break Atlanta's season. Here is a look at the latest Braves news and rumors coming out of the weekend.
Alex Anthopoulos knows the Braves need pitching, but won't limit himself in trade talks
Braves front office head Alex Anthopoulos has a well-earned reputation of being able to talk for a long time without actually saying anything that reveals his intentions at all. However, there were some nuggets from his appearance on MLB Network Radio that were worth highlighting.
To the surprise of exactly no one, Anthopoulos is well aware of the fact that the Braves need pitching. However, he spoke at length about how the trade market has been very slow to get moving this year and that he pretty much has to wait for teams to decide to sell before getting anything moving. Anthopoulos also said that he would love to jump on deals for pitching, but is open to making a move for any position that makes the Braves better.
Ronald Acuña Jr. still has some hurdles to clear before the Braves activate him from the IL
Fans have been very eager to see Ronald Acuña Jr. return from the injured list. While he wasn't playing particularly well in the first half before he hurt his hamstring, Acuña Jr. was still a dangerous hitter opposing teams had to account for, especially when it comes to their willingness to run out a parade of lefties against Atlanta.
Most of the recent updates on Acuña Jr.'s rehab have been positive, but there could still be a bit of a wait to see him back on the field. According to manager Walt Weiss, the Braves are being intentionally cautious with Acuña Jr.'s recovery and that he will need to demonstrate he can play in the field on a regular basis before he is activated. A return this coming weekend still seems possible, but coming back during the team's current home stand is anything but a sure thing.
Ha-Seong Kim's rehab assignment deadline comes with some very curious timing
Lost in Jim Jarvis' surprisingly strong showing in the majors as well as all of the other injury stuff going on with the Braves, Ha-Seong Kim is currently in the middle of a rehab assignment as well. Fans soured on Kim in a hurry after he struggled mightily in his return from finger surgery, but Kim has actually looked pretty good down in the minors during this stint.
Where things get interesting is in the timing of his potential return. Braves insider Mark Bowman noted over the weekend that Kim's rehab assignment must end by August 1, which is right before the trade deadline this year. While trading Kim may prove to be difficult given how bad he looked and how much money he is owed this year, his return could free up other potential trade chips and force Atlanta to act decisively a couple of days before the deadline.
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