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The Atlanta Braves haven't gotten off to a great start this season. Through 23 games, Atlanta is 9-14 with a minus-15 run differential. They're currently in last place in the National League East.
Their offense hasn't been great, though Marcell Ozuna and Austin Riley have shone. Their pitching staff has struggled with depth, resulting in multiple Bryce Elder starts early in the season.
The lack of depth was boosted when Spencer Strider made his triumphant return from elbow surgery, but he would only make one start before he landed on the injured list again with a strained hamstring.
The Braves don't have much room to play a man down. If they continue down the path they're on, Atlanta will be on the outside looking in at the postseason in October.
That means Atlanta could be the perfect destination in a trade for Miami Marlins ace Sandy Alcántara.
It seems unlikely the Marlins would look to trade their superstar ace to a division rival, but Miami is so far away from contending that Alcántara will likely be out of his prime by the time it matters to them.
If the Braves can package Elder, Hurston Waldrep, Nacho Alvarez Jr., and a few other solid prospects, they could steal the righty from Miami.
This trade would give the Braves a trio of Strider, Alcántara, and Spencer Schwellenbach going forward. A resurgence from Chris Sale that sees him return to his 2024 form would mean the Braves would have the best rotation in baseball.
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About the writer
Zach Pressnell is a Newsweek contributor based in Columbus, Ohio. His focus is MLB content. He has an extensive knowledge ... Read more