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NL East: MLB trade deadline primer

By Drew Douglas

WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 01: The Washington Nationals run around the field and celebrate winning the National League East Division Championship after the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Nationals Park on October 1, 2012 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 01: The Washington Nationals run around the field and celebrate winning the National League East Division Championship after the game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Nationals Park on October 1, 2012 in Washington, DC. (Photo by G Fiume/Getty Images) /
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NL East
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Atlanta Braves

Led by a plethora of up-and-coming stars, the Atlanta Braves have been one of baseball’s biggest surprises. They are currently 42-29 and are tied with the Milwaukee Brewers for the best record in the National League. It is evident that the Braves were building something special, but nobody expected them to contend this year.

Seeing as the Braves have remained atop the division into late-June, it is safe to say that they are a legitimate postseason contender. The division should still be the Nats’ to lose, but the Braves could easily earn a Wild Card spot.

The Braves do not have many holes, but they could stand to improve at third base. After the Jose Bautista experiment failed, they turned to Johan Camargo. The 24-year-old has done a decent job but has fallen into a bit of a sophomore slump.

A year after slashing .299/.331/.452 as a rookie, Camargo is hitting just .234 in 52 games. These are respectable numbers for a bottom-of-the-order hitter, but the Braves need more production if they are going to be a force in the postseason.

The two most notable third baseman who could be on the move are Mike Moustakas and Josh Donaldson. The Braves could be suitors for either player, but they would not necessarily be a perfect fit.

Ozzie Albies and Ronald Acuna get all the press, but Austin Riley is projected to play a prominent role in the Braves’ youth movement as well. The 21-year-old third baseman is raking in Triple-A and could be deemed ready for the majors this season. If the Braves were not in contention, he would almost certainly get a shot in the bigs.

Because the Braves are in a position to play deep into October, they are going to need a veteran presence at the hot corner. Freddie Freeman and Nick Markakis are great leaders, but the young guns could use a few more veterans around the clubhouse during the stretch run.

This is why Moustakas or Donaldson would be a nice addition in Atlanta.

Moustakas has a mutual option for 2019, making him the preferred target. Theoretically, the Braves could decline his option and give the job to Riley next year. On the other hand, they could also pick up Moustakas’ option and give Riley an extra year to develop.

Meanwhile, Donaldson is set to become a free agent at the season’s end. He would be a solid rental, but that is likely all he would be. There are also questions surrounding his durability, as he has made two trips to the disabled list this year.

Looking past third base, the Braves could add to their pitching staff. The starting rotation and bullpen could each use some addition depth, but the foundation is solid. There will be plenty of pitching depth available at the deadline, making this an easy fix for Alex Anthopoulos and co.

The Braves were not expected to contend, but they are now in a position to strengthen their case as a playoff-caliber team at the trade deadline.

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