The Braves are starting to steady themselves after a rough July, and that matters with the trade deadline creeping closer. Atlanta’s recent series win over the Pittsburgh Pirates gave the club a little lift, but the bigger picture hasn’t changed: general manager Alex Anthopoulos sounds ready to jump into the market.
“I fully expect and hope that we will be engaged in trades come July. I'm not trying to overly excite anybody or promise anything. But if we're playing the way we are right now, we're going to be in there,” Anthopoulos said.
Pitching still sits near the top of the wish list, but Atlanta could also use another real threat in the outfield. The corner spots have been uneven all season, and that’s opened the door for speculation about a bigger swing.
“The Atlanta Braves’ lineup isn’t the long, strong force of nature fans watched and loved in 2023. The left side of the infield’s production, Austin Riley's in particular, would fit in a thimble, and aside from Mauricio Dubón, corner outfielders aren’t a lot better. No help is coming as short or third, so outfield bats are a priority,” HTHB’s Fred Owens wrote.
One name that keeps popping up is Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton, and it’s easy to see why. ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan described him this way:
“The report on Buxton is still pretty similar to when he went No. 2 in the 2012 draft: elite runner and defender with loud bat speed. The difference is the bat speed in high school turned into regular in-game power by his mid-20s and now, in his early 30s, he is hitting some of the high-end projections for 30-plus homer potential more than a decade later. Basically everything you dreamed of with Buxton has come true, with injuries/durability being the only negative,” ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel and Jeff Passan wrote.
Buxton checks a lot of boxes for Atlanta. He’d bring impact defense and real power, and he also fits the kind of player Anthopoulos has chased before, especially those with Georgia roots. Matt Olson, Sean Murphy, and Michael Harris II are all examples of hometown talent the Braves have added.
The catch is the price tag and the risk. Buxton is on a $100 million contract, and injuries have followed him throughout his career.
Atlanta could try to ease that concern by managing his workload, and a move to left field would likely be on the table if a deal happened. The biggest obstacle may be Buxton himself, since he would have to waive his no-trade clause.
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