The Atlanta Braves have a few holes that need patching. With the trade deadline just over a month away, the rumor-mill is about to pick up some serious steam. To get a better understanding of who could be on their way down south, The Steakhouse welcomed in Dave O'Brien from The Athletic to help get an understanding of what to expect.
After the early-season injuries to both Ronald Acuña and Spencer Strider, they were left in a hole. How can they replace a potential MVP and Cy Young candidate?
Well, you can't.
To make things just a little bit worse, the team was slapped with another injury to centerfielder Michael Harris and Adam Duvall has not been hitting well enough to justify at-bats. Fortunately, the starting rotation with Chris Sale, Max Fried, and Reynaldo López has been one of the top trios in the Majors.
The biggest hole is rather obvious for the Braves. They must address the corner outfield depth on the roster, and who better than Tommy Pham from the Chicago White Sox?
"Absolutely there's a chance," O'Brien told The Steakhouse on Friday, about a month before the trade deadline. "Alex is not going to part with his top two pitching prospects to get a guy that, at the start next season, you're not going to need an outfielder. You're going to have Acuña back and you're going to have Harris in centerfield and we've seen enough from Kelenic to know that he's going to be the left fielder moving forward."
O'Brien adds that there is simply no need to make a move for a bigger name in the outfield. Lane Thomas from the Nationals or Kyle Tucker would be wonderful options, but the fact is that the Braves would be paying a pretty penny for a rental they wouldn't need beyond any postseason run -- especially if that means they would need to pay with some of their top pitching prospects in the process.
He continues, "Why would you trade for a big-time outfielder who's under contract for three more years or two more years when he's going to cost you a ton? Because that's the going rate. So I think you get a guy on an expiring contract, like a Tommy Pham."
On top of the potential need that he would fill on this roster, he would also provide an added benefit in the clubhouse.
"[ The Athletic ] talked to 12 people who played with him or coached [Tommy Pham], and they were unanimous in their support," O'Brien said. "People could not be more wrong about Tommy Pham and what he brings to a clubhouse."
A third consecutive move at the deadline for the 36-year-old outfielder is all but certain at this point. Just last season he helped drive the Arizona Diamondbacks to their first World Series appearance since 2001. Could he do that again for the Braves?
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