Blockbuster trade idea lands three-time All-Star with Braves

It's still unclear if the Atlanta Braves will have any more baseball to play this fall once the regular season comes to an end.

Despite this fact, the Braves will have some decisions to make in the near future. Max Fried will be a free agent at the end of the season and could end up being too expensive to keep around for the foreseeable future.

If Fried does decide to leave, the Braves will end up being in the market for a new starter. One player who surprisingly could be available is St. Louis Cardinals ace Sonny Gray. St. Louis seems to be nearing a rebuild, and it has been reported that Gray could be available.

FanSided's Josh Jacobs took a look at the Cardinals' top players and put together a list of hypothetical trade destinations for each. He mentioned the Braves as a fit for Gray in a hypothetical deal.

"Destinations: Atlanta Braves, Cincinnati Reds, Texas Rangers," Jacobs said. "Before I dive into these destinations, I want to once again note how it is still very much up in the air whether or not Gray would be open to a trade. He could very well want to stay in St. Louis, and if that is his desire, he has that no-trade clause. But it does appear that the Cardinals are open to moving him...

"The most obvious fit to me would be the Atlanta Braves and for a number of reasons. First, Atlanta is close to Gray's home in Nashville, Tennessee, which seemed to be a major factor in Gray's free agency this past offseason...Second, the Braves will be looking to plug some holes in their rotation this offseason. Max Fried is set to be a free agent and will command a lucrative long-term deal from someone, while Charlie Morton is also coming off of their books as well."

Gray is a three-time All-Star who had a 3.84 ERA this season in 28 starts. He signed a three-year, $75 million deal with St. Louis last winter, so he's still under contract for two more seasons. If the Braves lose Fried, Gray could be a great replacement.