The Atlanta Braves have a bullpen problem right now. Thanks to the struggles of their rotation, Atlanta has been put in a position where they need to carry multiple arms that can cover more than one inning, and they are going to be without Robert Suarez until after the All-Star break. The end result has been a clogged relief corps filled with imperfect solutions and overworked high-leverage arms. Compounding the problem is that the Braves are short on lefty relievers and one of the better trade deadline options may be off limits.
Dylan Lee is one of the best relievers in baseball right now, and the Braves need not try to supplant him. However, as one of the best leverage relievers Atlanta has, they can't run the guy out constantly to neutralize opposing lefty hitters. Dylan Dodd has reverse splits, so he doesn't help much there.
Thankfully, the trade deadline is coming, and there should be lefty relief options available. One such reliever that probably will be on the market is old friend AJ Minter. While Minter seems to have rebounded from his injury issues and is putting together a strong 2026, the fact that he plays for the Mets is a pretty big problem in terms of getting a deal done.
AJ Minter would be a perfect trade deadline target for the Braves, but the "in-division trade tax" would be a problem
This would obviously be a fun trade to pull off. Minter was a fan favorite and a big part of the Braves' World Series run in 2021. The only reason the Braves moved on was due to some serious concerns about his health that gave them pause at his asking price. We know that Alex Anthopoulos loves reunions, and Minter is extremely highly regarded in the clubhouse. Through 17 appearances this season, Minter has only given up one earned run in 17 innings of work.
The $11 million Minter is owed certainly isn't ideal, but the Mets would probably be willing to eat some of it to get a real return. The Braves also have some wiggle room to make a deal for the right player, and they are certainly motivated to compete this season. The problem is that the Mets are not the team the Braves want to be dealing with here.
Despite the fact that the Mets' playoff chances are currently in the toilet, that doesn't mean they are going to sign up willingly to help the Braves make a postseason push. While it is unlikely that they would say no outright in their position and they MIGHT want to do right by Minter, the price tag for him could be prohibitive. Given Minter's performance this season, there is also likely to be a number of teams that are interested, which could lead to a bidding war.
Still, this just feels like a move that Anthopoulos would make, right? Bringing back a fan favorite who is playing well to fill a very obvious roster need. The only thing he is missing is extra team control, but that could work itself out. After all, Minter loved his time in Atlanta and could be incentivized to stay...assuming the Braves can pull a trade off at all.
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