Why Braves must acquire Blue Jays All-Star shortstop, per insider

Ever since Ronald Acuña Jr.'s untimely injury, the question surrounding the Atlanta Braves has been whether general manager Alex Anthopoulos will acquire an outfielder.

It makes sense to wonder--Anthopoulos did exactly that when Acuña missed the second half of 2021, and it led to a World Series championship. But there are also other areas in which the Braves need to improve.

One of Atlanta's principal weaknesses this season has been shortstop, where 2023 All-Star Orlando Arcia has cratered offensively. And one Major League Baseball insider believes the Braves need to acquire another All-Star to solve that problem.

In his Tuesday trade deadline primer , ESPN senior writer David Schoenfield said the number-one move the Braves should make at the deadline is acquiring Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette, effectively replacing the slumping Arcia in the starting lineup.

"Arcia has regressed in a big way, hitting .211 with a .245 OBP," Schoenfield said. "He does provide good defense, but Bichette could be an impact player for 2024 and 2025."

Bichette, 26, is having a down year. His .619 OPS is far below his career average of .803. But he's also a two-time American League hits leader and has dealt with injuries all season.

If anything, the Braves would be buying low on one of the highest-upside position players available. Bichette piled up 14.4 wins above replacement between 2021-2023. Plus, he'd be under contract for the 2025 season, when the Braves still expect to be in title contention.

And as Schoenfield alludes to, any offense Bichette provides would be more than the Braves are currently getting from Arcia. Among 146 qualified hitters, Arcia ranks 145th in OPS and dead last in on-base percentage.

Of course, no one can say with certainty whether Toronto will trade Bichette, especially since general manager Ross Atkins is undeniably on the hot seat. But from a practical standpoint, the deal makes a lot of sense for both sides.

We'll all have to wait with bated breath until July 30 to see if the Jays pull the trigger.

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