Braves front office on their biggest needs ahead of the trade deadline

The trade deadline is a little over a month away, and some of the Braves flaws are finally starting to show following a torrid start to the season, both with the pitching staff and the lineup.

So, it should come as no surprise that when former GM Jim Bowden asked all 30 front offices their club’s biggest need leading up to the deadline, the Braves responded with another starting pitcher and bat.

“The recent Spencer Strider injury news has pushed the Braves’ need for starting pitching to the front of the line, with another hitter being a secondary need,” Bowden wrote for The Athletic. “In terms of a bat, left field or shortstop are likely their two target areas.”

I would argue the biggest problem area for the Braves is by far the rotation. Bryce Elder and Grant Holmes have really fallen off as the season has waned, Spencer Strider is likely done for the year after suffering yet another elbow injury, and JR Ritchie is a rookie that hasn’t quite proven he’s ready to be a permanent member of the rotation. The Braves’ rotation is essentially Chris Sale and pray. Although, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the wonderful resurgent campaign Martin Perez is putting together.

There is some hope for improvement with Hurston Waldrep and potentially others returning, but that’s still not enough. Adding another legitimate frontline arm feels non-negotiable at this point.

Another bat is certainly a need, but it’s not nearly as pressing as the rotation. Ronald Acuña Jr. returning will essentially kill two birds with one stone. He’ll massively improve the offensive production the Braves are currently getting in right field, and Mauricio Dubon kicking back to shortstop will do the same there.

That said, it still leaves two positions where Atlanta can upgrade — left field and DH. Mike Yastrzemski has just not been consistent enough. He’s fine as a depth piece, but he cannot be an everyday starter. The DH spot has also become a black hole with Dominic Smith, who’s really struggled since his magnificent start to the season. A strong case could be made he should be removed from the lineup completely if the Braves are serious about winning the World Series.

The good news is finding a slugging DH/outfielder generally isn’t that difficult. The Braves found four of them during the 2021 deadline, and they didn’t have to give up a single worthwhile prospect to do so.

Alex Anthopoulos should prepare to dole out top prospects for a frontline starting pitcher. The other issue can likely be fixed with a couple of under the radar additions that come with high upside.

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(Photo by David John Griffin/Icon Sportswire)