The Atlanta Braves have come out blazing to begin the season, becoming the first club in baseball to reach the 30-win mark. Their lineup has been relentless at the plate, while the bullpen has consistently shut opponents down.
Despite already looking like one of the top teams in Major League Baseball, trade speculation continues to surround the Braves. MLB insider Jim Bowden recently identified Atlanta as the leading potential landing spot for Mike Trout ahead of the trade deadline.
“I can envision the outfield: Trout, Acuña, and Michael Harris,” Bowden said. “It would be a perfect fit for them, and that would give Mike Trout a legitimate shot, even a better chance than Philadelphia, of winning a World Series, and he would fit perfectly with that team.”
While that may feel out of left field in some ways, the Braves were recently labeled as the top landing spot for another superstar. Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer believes Atlanta is the favorite to land Rafael Devers.
“The Braves have a number of long-term contracts that are no longer working for them, and thus could be jettisoned to San Francisco in a Devers deal. Sean Murphy is one possibility. Austin Riley is another, more compelling possibility. The Braves also have some young arms they could ship to San Francisco to complete a deal. Even one of the injured ones (i.e., Spencer Schwellenbach or Hurston Waldrep) could be a workable centerpiece,” Rymer wrote.
Murphy getting traded makes too much sense at the moment, as he can’t seem to stay healthy. He played less than a full week before getting injured again.
“In today’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers – a 7-2 victory for the second consecutive day – Murphy was called for catcher’s interference when Hyeseong Kim’s bat nicked Murphy, and he was replaced behind the plate by Drake Baldwin,” Battery Power’s DJourn wrote.
If the Braves can offload Murphy’s contract and some prospects for Devers, it would be considered a win. Dominic Smith has been great in the DH role, but Devers would take Atlanta’s offense to another level entirely.
Devers isn’t cheap, as he is on a $313 million deal. The superstar would be worth every penny, as he brings World Series experience, All-Star pedigree, and Silver Slugger production. Devers has already had a storied career, with plenty left in the tank.
