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The Atlanta Braves have seemed out of sorts to start the season but a pair of additions could be all they need to turn things around.
The team welcomed franchise ace Spencer Stride back from a second stint on the injured list on Tuesday. And although his performance wasn't what the team has grown accustomed to, with four earned runs in just over four innings, having him back in the rotation could be a winning catalyst.
And the team is also looking forward to an imminent return from Ronald Acuña Jr., who has been tearing up the minor leagues in the final steps of his own rehabilitation from a season-ending knee injury.
Boosts from those two could be enough to push the Braves toward their eighth consecutive playoff appearance. But they might need a more dramatic addition to keep the streak going into 2026.
At the end of this year, Marcell Ozuna has the chance to become a free agent. And after slugging 39 homers in an All-Star campaign last season, he is likely to see interest from a lot of teams.
As a result, The Athletic's Jim Bowden pointed out that the Braves could look to the division rival Philadelphia Phillies for a blockbuster replacement.
"The Phillies want to retain (Kyle) Schwarber and are prepared to give him a long-term contract at the appropriate time," Bowden wrote. "However, several other teams would love to have him, including the Braves (if they lose Marcell Ozuna in free agency)."
Schwarber is one of the only sluggers headed toward the free agency market who could instantly replace, if not exceed, Ozuna's production from the plate. Schwarber has hit at least 38 homers in each of the last three seasons and currently holds the Major League Baseball lead with 17 long balls so far this season. Last week, Schwarber hit the 300th home run of his career.
And, perhaps best of all, stealing Schwarber away from the Phillies would snatch that production away from one the Braves' biggest rivals.
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