Will Braves president of baseball operations Alex Anthopoulos prioritize an outfielder over pitching, or will those needs be equal in his mind? How many, if any, players will he acquire? Can he once again win the trade deadline with moves that will bolster his club?
These questions, which soon will be answered, are proof of a rosy bigger picture in Atlanta: The Braves are equipped to win now, and will act as such. Gone are the rebuilding years, when the prospects were the most intriguing storylines. This organization is pushing to repeat as World Series champions, with Anthopoulos driving the effort.
“I think it’s big,” Matt Olson said of having Anthopoulos, a proven executive, lead the club. “He does what’s best for the team. If something needs to get done, it gets done. That’s the way it feels like here.”
Just take last season, for example. In desperate need of outfielders, and an overall boost on the roster, Anthopoulos acquired Joc Pederson, Jorge Soler, Eddie Rosario and Adam Duvall. “They needed guys, they went out and got them,” Olson said. “It was like, no questions asked.”
What about this season?
The Braves have one of baseball’s top rosters. Duvall’s season-ending surgery created a potential need for a left fielder, but the Braves probably could use another starting pitcher and a reliever. Anthopoulos has been focused on the trade deadline, which is 6 p.m. Tuesday. All eyes are on Anthopoulos.
“This is one of the most complete teams that I’ve played on as far as bench depth, righties, lefties, starting pitching, bullpen,” Olson said. “Really, everything. You’d really have to go through with a fine-tooth comb to find something (we need).”
Added Austin Riley: “You expect something. The wheels are always turning with (Anthopoulos). We’ll see. I know I’m anxious to see what happens. And if nothing happens, I feel comfortable with where we’re at. We got a really good team.”
In terms of left fielders, the Cubs’ Ian Happ, a free agent after next season, could be an option. He entered Friday batting .284 with an .813 OPS. He’s a right-handed hitter, which would complement lefty Eddie Rosario well. The Orioles’ Trey Mancini, another right-handed hitter, is a free agent at season’s end.
The pitching market will be interesting. The Braves probably don’t need a frontline starter, especially because that could cost them more in prospect value than they’d be willing to give up this year. A back-end starter seems likely, and a reliever would help, especially because Will Smith, a late-game option, has struggled.
But this is nitpicking.
The Braves are competing for a fifth consecutive National League East title. Their roster is talented and deep, and they feature a lot of balance.
“I’m sure if anything gets done, it’s more of a want and less of a need,” Olson said. “But yeah, we got a pretty solid group in here.”
The fact that we even discuss such topics is a testament to what Anthopoulos and manager Brian Snitker have built here. This club, Snitker said, has expectations. Barring a massive collapse, the Braves will appear in the postseason for a fifth consecutive season.
They’re grateful not to be sellers at the deadline.
“I’ve been through that, too, where you come in every day, and they might snatch your starting pitcher from you that afternoon,” Snitker said. “That’s a rough go in itself.”
Olson, who is from metro Atlanta, followed the Braves from afar before they acquired him in March. He knows the story of the 2021 team, which went from under .500 at the trade deadline to World Series champions.
With his team scuffling, Anthopoulos went to work, believing the Braves could turn it around with a few pieces. He never gave up on the club.
It said a lot.
“A lot of teams would not go out and make the kind of moves that he did, still with eyes on a championship,” Olson said. “I think that speaks volumes, for a GM to understand the length of the season, how many games are actually left and what can happen. That’s not the case everywhere.”
Braves waiting for Acuña to get hot
Snitker wants to see something from the struggling Ronald Acuña.
“Just kind of relax,” Snitker said, “and be himself.”
The manager added: “Which is easier said than done.”
Acuña took early batting practice around four hours before Friday’s game versus Arizona. Multiple times, Snitker has said Acuña is working hard.
Entering Friday, the superstar outfielder was batting .212 with a .582 OPS over his past 32 games. He had three doubles, two homers and seven RBIs.
But the Braves still have been winning.
What if their star gets hot?
“Sometimes, you allow yourself to (think about) that,” Snitker said. “I try to do it not very much. But potentially, you see it’s there.
“At some point, he’s going to get that feel for a couple of them and get on a run. That’ll be fun to watch when he does.”
Albies ‘feeling good’
On Thursday, Delta dedicated an airplane to the Braves in honor of their World Series title. Snitker and injured second baseman Ozzie Albies attended the event.
Albies wore a walking boot to support his fractured left foot, which Snitker theorized may have been because of the crowd there.
The good sign: Albies on Friday walked around the weight room in tennis shoes.
“So he’s feeling really good,” Snitker said.
Albies isn’t yet doing baseball activities. He’s doing conditioning exercises and is working in the pool.
“They have a timeline and everything with surgeries and stuff like that, but I think he’s progressing exactly the way they thought he would,” Snitker said. “He’s feeling good.”
Yates’ rehab assignment encouraging
Kirby Yates on Wednesday threw a scoreless inning in his first appearance with Triple-A Gwinnett, which is the third stop on his rehab assignment.
Snitker saw Yates at Truist Park on Friday.
“He feels great,” Snitker said. “It’s really encouraging where he’s at.”
The Braves don’t know when he will join them. As of Friday, Yates was scheduled to make another rehab appearance.
“With them guys, it’s how they’re going to feel the day after and all that,” Snitker said. “You just never know until they get out there and pitch, but everything to date, for as long as he’s been down (in the minors), has been very, very encouraging.”
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