The Braves’ biggest Trade Deadline priority still sits on the mound, where the starting rotation remains the clearest weakness. But if Atlanta is going to make a real push over the next week, the lineup can’t be treated like an afterthought.
One stat drives that point home: the Braves entered Sunday with 316 innings in which they were retired in order, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. That was the fourth-most in the National League and the sixth-most in MLB. For a team with World Series aspirations, that kind of empty offense is a problem.
It’s easy to see how Atlanta got here. June was brutal. The Braves posted an MLB-worst .213 average and .599 OPS that month, and several of the issues from that stretch still linger.
Ronald Acuña Jr. missing time is part of the story. Acuña reinjured his right hamstring on June 9 and has been out for more than six weeks. Before landing on the IL, he still had a .373 on-base percentage, which is exactly the sort of presence that keeps innings from dying quickly.
The catching depth also offered almost nothing. Sandy León, Chadwick Tromp and Austin Wynns combined to hit .110 with a .231 OPS while Baldwin was out, and at one point that group went 1-for-40.
Shortstop has been another weak spot whenever Mauricio Dubón or Jim Jarvis hasn’t been there. Ha-Seong Kim and Jorge Mateo have combined to hit .169 at the position this season, with most of that damage coming from Mateo. In June, that duo was especially rough, hitting .102 with a .322 OPS.
Austin Riley’s first half also dragged the offense down. He has looked much better since the All-Star break, putting up a .921 OPS, but over his first 95 games he carried a .288 on-base percentage and a 29.4 percent strikeout rate.
Atlanta is hardly alone in piling up 1-2-3 innings. Entering Sunday, the Yankees had 321, the most in baseball, while the Phillies had 317 and the D-backs had 312. But the Braves were the only division leader in the top dozen.
Even with the offense showing more life in July than it did in June, the concerns haven’t gone away. Shortstop still feels unsettled.
Left field has been a black hole, with Atlanta’s starting left fielders producing an MLB-worst .629 OPS this season. The DH spot hasn’t helped much either, posting a .652 OPS since May 1, which ranked 26th in the Majors over that span.
That’s why an offensive upgrade still matters, even with pitching at the top of the list. A move at one of those spots could be especially important if injuries or cold stretches hit again later in the season and into October.
If Atlanta does go hunting for help, a few names could fit the bill. The Royals’ Lane Thomas or the Angels’ Jo Adell could be options if they become available.
The Astros’ Jeremy Peña is another possibility. And there’s also a less obvious target in the Giants’ Casey Schmitt, who offers power and defensive versatility.
In Other News...
Braves Trade Value List Is Going To Spark A Serious Debate
FanGraphs latest top-50 trade value ranking gave Braves fans plenty to chew on, with three Atlanta players making the cut and the usual mix of age, contract status and injury history shaping the order. Drake Baldwin landed the highest among the group, while Ronald Acua Jr. and Michael Harris II also appeared, giving the list a very different look than a simple talent ranking would.
The bigger eyebrow-raiser may be what was missing. Matt Olson, despite his production and team control, was left off the list entirely, a reminder that trade value is often as much about the calendar as it is about the box score. For a Braves roster built around star power, that kind of evaluation is bound to spark debate about how much long-term value still sits on the roster and where the market really sees the most appeal. [Read more 🡒]
Braves Shortstop Search Feels Headed For Another Frustrating Turn
The Braves have spent the better part of the post-Dansby Swanson era trying to settle the shortstop spot, and Jim Jarvis looked like a possible step toward stability during a promising three-week run in July. His recent opportunity had given Atlanta a fresh look at a position that has remained unsettled, with the club still searching for a long-term answer after years of turnover.
Baltimore, though, may have complicated that picture. Jarvis came out of the series against the Orioles with a rough weekend that snapped his momentum, and the defensive miscues stood out for a player who had otherwise been viewed as steady. Atlanta still has other paths it can take at shortstop, including Mauricio Dubn or a trade, but the latest turn only adds to the sense that this search may not be nearing a clean resolution. [Read more 🡒]