While the trade deadline is well over a month away and a lot can change, the Atlanta Braves' needs are pretty well-known at this point. They could use at least one of a leftfielder or a shortstop (perhaps preferably a righty), and then Mauricio Dubon can slot into whatever spot that isn't addressed. Like every contender, Atlanta could use some bullpen help, and the Braves have already stated their intention to add at least one starter. Unfortunately, with that list of needs, the number of absurd trade proposals out there has skyrocketed.
Given the Braves' need for rotation reinforcements, Tarik Skubal's name was going to come up in connection to Atlanta. The idea that Alex Anthopoulos would enter that insane bidding war is a little silly, but at least there is a logic to it. Braves need pitcher. Skubal is best pitcher. Braves should go after Skubal.
However, there is more to moves being possible than just a team player having a guy available and the Braves wanting said guy. In Jeff Passan's recent column breaking down the top trade candidates who could be traded at the deadline, he mentions the Braves as a landing spot for shortstop CJ Abrams. While Abrams is a great player, the odds of that happening are basically zero.
Any hopes that the Braves could trade for CJ Abrams are basically dead in the water
Again, this is the kind of lazy team need-to-player matching that happens this time of year. On the surface, Abrams would be a great get, aside from some potential character concerns. Atlanta needs a real shortstop that will be around for a little while, and Abrams is in the middle of another All-Star level season with an .876 OPS with 14 homers and 11 stolen bases. Abrams' defense has not been good, and it would probably be better if he hit right-handed, but the fit makes sense on paper.
Until you get to the team Abrams plays for, that is. Sure, the Nationals could end up sellers at the deadline, although they are a bit scarier than some may think, and Abrams could get dealt. However, the odds are exponentially small that Washington would send an All-Star caliber shortstop who is under team control through 2028 to a hated division rival for anything less than a massive overpay. Passan obviously knows this, but including more contender names in the early rumor mill is good for business.
As to what such an overpay for Abrams would look like, well, one only needs to look to another potential in-division trade that the Braves would have loved to make for Christian Yelich back in 2018. Yelich was one of the best young players in baseball, and the Marlins definitely wanted to trade him. Miami ended up accepting a trade package from the Brewers that included Lewis Brinson, Isan Diaz, Monte Harrison, and Jordan Yamamoto. All four of those guys were, at best, overrated at the time, and all of them are non-factors now.
So what was Miami's rumored ask of Atlanta in trade talks at the time? Ronald Acuña Jr. plus multiple other prospects.
Again, we get it. Abrams is a notable name at a position of need for the Braves, so connecting the dots there can be fun. Unfortunately, it just doesn't reflect the reality of trying to swing a blockbuster trade with a division rival.
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